I was told that the cancer cells caused holes in my chest wall and that caused my body fluid to flow in and flood my lungs. Even with chest tapping, my lungs will be flooded again. The flooding is called pleural effusion. We have a sac around our lungs and the fluid actually got into the space between the sac and the lungs. (Note : When I related this to an oncologist at SGH later, he told me that this is not accurate and below is what I found about pleural effusion from National Cancer Institute - website : www.cancer.gov)
General Information about Malignant Pleural Effusions
The pleural cavity is the space surrounding each lung in the chest. The pleura is the thin layer of tissue that covers the outer surface of each lung and lines the interior wall of the chest cavity, creating a sac that encloses the pleural cavity. Pleural tissue normally produces a small amount of fluid that helps the lungs move smoothly in the chest while a person is breathing. A pleural effusion is an increased amount of fluid in the pleural cavity, which then presses on the lungs and makes breathing difficult.
Causes of Malignant Pleural EffusionsPleural effusions may be malignant (caused by cancer) or nonmalignant (caused by a condition that is not cancer). Malignant effusions are a common complication of cancer. Lung cancer, breast cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia cause most malignant effusions. Effusions caused by cancer treatment, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy, are called paramalignant effusions.
Not all pleural effusions found in cancer patients are malignant. Cancer patients often develop conditions such as congestive heart failure, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and malnutrition, and these conditions may cause pleural effusions to occur.
Dr T, a senior doctor, said there are 2 ways to correct this. One is to 'glue' the sac to the lungs so that there is no space in between.The other is by surgery, where they will use some stuff to patch up all the holes. But she said this procedure will require me to be warded for a few days in ICU, and it has to be done at SGH where the facilities are better.
When I heard about the second option and the number of days in ICU, all I could think of was open-chest surgery. I have never liked hospital stays and surgery and certainly do not fancy having my chest cut open. Dumb that I was, it never occurred to me that this could be done through key-hole surgery. It was later when I asked for more details that one of doctors explained that it would be key-hole surgery. I guessed the days in ICU was to ensure that the patching would not give way.
2 comments:
Aw, this was a really nice post. In idea I would like to put in writing like this additionally - taking time and actual effort to make a very good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and by no means seem to get something done.
Thank you, and I procrastinate too, a lot.
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