Q. Is bronchoscopy and tube necessary in a pneumonia patient with COPD?
Hello doctor,
My father is in the hospital fighting pneumonia and has COPD. His latest X-ray has shown some improvement. The X-ray shows he has an extensive airspace and interstitial opacities in the left lung and patchy opacity in the right lower lung. The plan is to do a bronchoscopy and use a tube to assist in getting him oxygen.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I have gone through the history of your father's illness you have provided (attachment removed to protect patient identity). The X-ray reports are suggestive of pneumonia. At this stage, on initial antibiotics and supportive treatment, if he has not improved, bronchoscopy may be essential to isolate the organism that has caused pneumonia. This will help to guide antibiotic therapy.
By tube to assist oxygen, they are possibly implying putting him on a ventilator? That may be necessary if he is not able to breathe on his own adequately to maintain oxygen in his body.
For more information consult a pulmonologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/pulmonologist
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|Thank you doctor,
I am meeting doctors at 4 pm but your information seems spot on. What is a method to remove fluid or other methods to support him?
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
I would require his complete history, reports and, current diagnosis to give my opinion properly. From the details you have provided, it is my understanding that he has been diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and pneumonia. I did not understand the part regarding the removal of fluid. Do you mean fluid in lungs medically called pulmonary edema? Or doctors might have explained pneumonia as an accumulation of fluid in lungs in simple parlance to make you understand better. If it is pneumonia, the treatment would be antibiotics, nebulization for his COPD, oxygen therapy if his oxygen levels are low. There might be need for ventilator support if he is not able to breathe adequately on his own.
For more information consult a pulmonologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/pulmonologist
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