Oxygen therapy is provided for patients with breathing disorders who cannot get adequate oxygen readily. It will help in increasing the quality of life by ensuring proper sleep and good energy. Breathing disorders that might need supplemental oxygen therapy include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, undeveloped lungs in newborns, lung fibrosis, sleep apnea, respiratory asthma, heart failure, etc. Oxygen gas, liquid oxygen, oxygen concentrators, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy are the distinct varieties of oxygen therapy.
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How to manage bilateral pneumothorax and mediastinal emphysema?
Query: Hi doctor, I am looking for a specialist opinion. My wife is diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. She has a small rim of pneumothoraces bilaterally with subcutaneous disease and mediastinal emphysema. I am attaching her reports. Kindly suggest a treatment to manage the condition. Read Full »
Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have gone through the CT scan reports and images (attachment removed to protect patient identity). It seems to be a long-standing problem and it progresses fast. You have not mentioned the chief complaints of the patient and previous treatment details. According to th... Read Full »
I am a hospitalist and gave 100 % oxygen to a COPD patient. Is it fine?
Query: Hello doctor, I need help with a question. I was working as a hospitalist. A 67-year-old man had been admitted over the weekend for confusion and a high ammonia level. He had also fallen down five to six times before admission. He had a history of COPD with permissive hypercapnia and was on three to... Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Patients with long-standing COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) controlled oxygen therapy should be given to avoid suppression of hypoxic respiratory drive. So unless they are on BIPAP(bilevel positive airway pressure) or invasive ventilatory support, oxygen... Read Full »
Why is my mother having breathing difficulties while walking and doing daily chores?
Query: Hi doctor, I am consulting for my mother. She had brain aneurysm surgery, almost six to seven years back. She also has some lung problem. She used to have asthama earlier, but recently she has problem in breathing while walking and doing daily chores. She has headache and her whole body aches. She i... Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I can understand your concern. I have gone through the reports you have attached (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity). She might be having tuberculosis in the past, because her CT (computed tomography) scan is suggestive of a fibrotic lung. This mea... Read Full »
What support should be given before onset of hypercapnia in a TB patient?
Query: Hello doctor,I have TB disease, type1 respiratory failure. Oxygen was given, oxygenation improves but falls to LVL on presentation. What support should be given before the onset of hypercapnia? I have dry cough for two weeks, blood in sputum, fever, sweating and weight loss. Read Full »
Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. As you said, the patient has TB, hypoxia is more common which leads to type 1 respiratory failure. So only supplemental oxygen is not enough. We should start noninvasive ventilation as early as possible before hypercarbia sets in. So the possible options for NIV are ... Read Full »
Are premature babies prone to lung disease as adults?
Query: Hello doctor, I was born premature and required incubation for the first three months of my life. While in an incubator, I received oxygen daily for my lungs. I am now almost 30 years old. I have health anxiety, and worried that I am more susceptible to lung cancer or illness because of my premature... Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Being premature and being on oxygen for the first few months does increase the risk of lung infection, that too in early years of life.Now you are in 30, and I feel you have crossed the stage where you could have been at risk for infection and not for cancer.I am more con... Read Full »
Is it necessary to check oxygen saturation in a dyspnea patient?
Query: Hello doctor, Is it necessary to check oxygen saturation if the patient is on oxygen for shortness of breath? Read Full »
Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. As you said that patient needs oxygen for shortness of breath, it is absolutely not required to measure the oxygen saturation all the time. But, if dyspnea (shortness of breath) is due to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) that is due to excessive smoking,... Read Full »
What is the treatment for inhaling drywall dust?
Query: Hello doctor, I have a question in regards to pulmonology and exposure to crystalline silica. I have done a ton of research on the internet regarding this subject and probably know as much as anyone can know based solely on internet information. So I am hoping someone with a more advanced knowledge ... Read Full »
Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have surfed your links and understood your problem in detail. (attachments removed to protect patient identity) After silica exposure you are suffering from what is called as acute silicosis. Acute silicosis results from short term exposure to very large amo... Read Full »
Is there a permanent cure for pulmonary hypertension?
Query: Hi doctor, I am suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for past 15 years, which has now affected my whole body. Since one and a half year, I am getting shortness of breath and cough. Last year, when I was admitted in the hospital to get this treated, my doctor advised me to use external oxygen for long... Read Full »
Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Both rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary hypertension are chronic diseases. As there is no permanent cure for it, the aim of treatment in such case is control of symptoms only. Medicines help only to control the symptoms.You are a known rheumatoid arthritis patient and now... Read Full »
What is meconium aspiration syndrome?
Query: Hi doctor, My daughter born 7 days back is suffering from meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). I would like to know, how we measure her growth of lung capacity. Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. In newborns measurement of lung capacity is not as useful as in adults. Important clinical signs of respiratory effort, respiratory rate and the x-rays that had showed the meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) and also the general condition of baby. These are the importan... Read Full »
Is it safe to stop feeding and start oxygen support in my baby who had breathing difficulty?
Query: Hello doctor, My baby is a preterm boy. His actual age is 7.5 months and corrected age is 4.5 months. Birth weight was 960 gm and his current weight is 5.60 kg, drinking man-pro around 100 ml, 5 to 6 times a day. Since last 10 days, he has also been started on semisolid food. He had breathing diffic... Read Full »
Dr. Bhaisara Baraturam Bhagrati
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern. Your concern is whether oxygen was necessary. Whenever the baby is having wheezing and respiratory distress, giving Oxygen is necessary to avoid impending ventilation-perfusion mismatch. It is considered as supportive therapy even though the m... Read Full »