Spontaneous lung collapse

[LightandAiry]

Hi, apparently this can happen with young, tall, thin men from age 10 years onwards. It has happened to my ds and he is now waiting for an operation as his lung will not fully inflate.

I am not sure where to post this - either in children's health or here - has anybody's ds experienced the same?

Goodness. How scary for you both. I have no experience, but wanted to wish your son a speedy recovery

Have they investigated the possibility of Marfan Syndrome? Wishing him a speedy recovery.

Not massive help but I had this in my late 20s. Simple spontaneous pneumothorax. Happened twice and then had an op (a pleurectomy I think) to make it stay up. Mine were both very small deflations, 25% or so, and they reinstated themselves both times but drs said safer to have the op. All went well, couldn’t fly for a year and I’ve been advised never to dive or do anything that puts extreme pressure, but that’s just in case. I recently met a lung specialist who reinforced the don’t dive thing. I am female, super skinny and was told it happened more often to boys and often to sporty, active types who use their chests - rowers, archers etc. Apart from being female, I was regarded as a classic case. I was working very hard in white collar job, but no sport! That was 30 years ago and all was fine. Good luck with it all.

Ninja thanks for reply.....it's odd how this can just happen. My ds is back at college and recovering. His lung completely collapsed. We are hoping the other lung will be ok as we are told it may happen again but not to the affected lung as the operation has sorted it. Never heard of it before now!

That’s good to hear he’s back up and running after the op. Fwiw it happened to my lung twice within about six months, firs time I was sitting on the bloody sofa! Second time massive stress mentally as a sibling had just died. Only other thing was that I was working super hard career wise, long hours etc. It never happpened to me again and never happened to the other lung. I wish him a speedy recovery and isn’t he lucky to have such a great mum.