Hello,
I have had two pneumothoraxes separated about 4 1/2 years apart. The first Pneumo was about 90% collapse and the second pneumo 50% collapse. The cardio-thoracic surgeon gave me the option on whether or not to get the pleurodesis surgery. So against my better judgement, I decided to take the risk and not get the surgery. I was on the fence. Has anyone had a second pneumothorax and didn't have a third, without getting pleurodesis? Do you think it was foolhardy of me to be optimistic about not getting a third pneumothorax?
Thank you for your thoughts.
Yours were so far apart. That’s what is different here. Because you had your second now, it might be worth it to pursue the surgery because the odds of it happening again are much higher now. The way I see it is if you have a chest tube in right now, get the surgery. If you do not have the chest tube, then do not get it. This was the criteria I used for my second one and I did not get the surgery. A month later my lung collapsed though and I ended up getting the surgery based on the criteria aforementioned.
It depends on the cause of the collapses in my opinion but I have had both lungs collapse and had surgery on both. I choose to believe it wont happen again but never say never.