Partial lung collapse (surgery complication)

 

Last month, Daughter had emergency surgery. We were in the ER when the ER Doc said there was a specialist in the hospital and he could page him for a consultation.

Specialist said my daughter's condition would need emergency surgery, and Daughter agreed. Even though it was late at night, they were able to page surgery staff so the surgeon could operate on my daughter. 

The Hubby barely had time to make it to the hospital and wish Daughter luck before the staff whisked her away for surgery. 

Afterwards, I stayed with her in her hospital room, and the nurse gave Daughter an incentive spirometer. She told Kitty to use it once an hour to prevent any complications with her lungs.

 This is one type of spirometer:

 

Nurse told her to use the mouthpiece and slowly inhale to get the colored balls to hover. Nurse told her to repeat that several times, and it will help to keep her lungs open. 

Due to Daughter's pain level, she couldn't use it every hour, and her lungs were really cranky. In fact, she started to have a partial lung collapse (atelectasis.) 

It's not uncommon for that to happen. Mayo Clinic says: 

"Atelectasis (at-uh-LEK-tuh-sis) is the collapse of a lung or part of a lung, also known as a lobe. It happens when tiny air sacs within the lung, called alveoli, lose air.

Atelectasis is one of the most common breathing complications after surgery"

The Medical staff urged Daughter to keep using her spirometer - EVERY hour. And to keep taking her controller inhaler as well as use her albuterol reliever inhaler if she was still having problems.

It took a little while, but she slowly improved and felt much better. 

Have you ever had a partial lung collapse? If so, how did they treat it and did it work?