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Suggest Treatment For Pneumonia Spreading To Lungs
Question: My elderly father was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia after we got him to the hospital within a few hours of the incident....he was on a stomach feeding tube. He was doing well over the next 48 hours per the MD. Then we were told again by the MD that the pneumonia had
spread to both lungs because THEY gave him too much fluid. He died less than 2 weeks later. What happene
spread to both lungs because THEY gave him too much fluid. He died less than 2 weeks later. What happene
Brief Answer:
Aspiration leading onto ARDS
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking.
I am Dr. Prakash HM and I will be answering your query.
Sorry to know about your father.
Based on your query, my opinion is as follows:
1. Aspiration would have led to lung injury.
2. Secondary to lung injury, bacterial infection would have started.
3. During this time, this period of 48 hours, when he was on treatment, the bacterial infection was possibly increasing, despite antibiotic treatment.
4. Once bacterial infection increased, it caused further lung damage, including the blood vessels leading to fluid coming out of blood vessels, which caused extensive injury. This excess fluid in the lungs, which had spread to both lungs along with the infection, complicated the oxygen levels.
5. Despite being on ventilator support and antibiotics, etc, the lungs could not recover (possibly leading on to acute respiratory distress syndrome {ARDS}), which led to his demise.
In the elderly,the lung functions reduce, due to aging and the recovery period needed will be more. Aspiration induced infection led to ARDS, which is fatal. As the damage was severe, recovery was very difficult.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, here to help again.
Dr. Prakash HM
Aspiration leading onto ARDS
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking.
I am Dr. Prakash HM and I will be answering your query.
Sorry to know about your father.
Based on your query, my opinion is as follows:
1. Aspiration would have led to lung injury.
2. Secondary to lung injury, bacterial infection would have started.
3. During this time, this period of 48 hours, when he was on treatment, the bacterial infection was possibly increasing, despite antibiotic treatment.
4. Once bacterial infection increased, it caused further lung damage, including the blood vessels leading to fluid coming out of blood vessels, which caused extensive injury. This excess fluid in the lungs, which had spread to both lungs along with the infection, complicated the oxygen levels.
5. Despite being on ventilator support and antibiotics, etc, the lungs could not recover (possibly leading on to acute respiratory distress syndrome {ARDS}), which led to his demise.
In the elderly,the lung functions reduce, due to aging and the recovery period needed will be more. Aspiration induced infection led to ARDS, which is fatal. As the damage was severe, recovery was very difficult.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, here to help again.
Dr. Prakash HM
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you Doctor. A follwup question...why would the lung Dr have said THEY gave him too much fluid. How does fluid play into aspiration pneumomia.
They were giving him fluid in his Peg tube....orally via the swallowing therapists....and in his IV. He was never on a redpirator...just oxygen canulA. He was vomiting quite a bit.
They were giving him fluid in his Peg tube....orally via the swallowing therapists....and in his IV. He was never on a redpirator...just oxygen canulA. He was vomiting quite a bit.
Brief Answer:
Vomiting - repeat aspiration possibly
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking again.
If the fluid was being given orally too, it could have led to vomiting. During vomiting, as he was already weak, he could have aspirated the vomit contents. This excess fluid could have led to aspiration secondary to vomiting. This could be the too much fluid, the lung specialist might have mentioned.
Also in lung inflammation (due to aspiration pneumonia), more fluid moves outside the blood vessels leading to respiratory distress.
Oxygen canula was used to give oxygen at a higher saturation to maintain good oxygenation. Due to his PEG tube, possibly he could not be on respirator.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, here to help again.
Dr. Prakash HM
Vomiting - repeat aspiration possibly
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking again.
If the fluid was being given orally too, it could have led to vomiting. During vomiting, as he was already weak, he could have aspirated the vomit contents. This excess fluid could have led to aspiration secondary to vomiting. This could be the too much fluid, the lung specialist might have mentioned.
Also in lung inflammation (due to aspiration pneumonia), more fluid moves outside the blood vessels leading to respiratory distress.
Oxygen canula was used to give oxygen at a higher saturation to maintain good oxygenation. Due to his PEG tube, possibly he could not be on respirator.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, here to help again.
Dr. Prakash HM
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Thank you Doctor. Is it the norm to administer swallowing therapy to a person admitted to the hospital with aspiration pneumonia and with a known swallowing problem which is why he was on the peg tube to begin with? My impression is that oral swallowing could have definitely contributed to his getting worse. If the fluid was leaking from his lung vessels plus they were giving him IV fluid and peg tube fluid and oral swallowing fluid that is a lot of fluid....no?
Brief Answer:
Yes, its a norm usually following in patients with swallowing difficulty
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking again.
In Patients with lung disorder with aspiration, direct oral feeds are avoided to avoid further possibility of repeat aspiration. That was the reason PEG tube was used.
Oral swallowing without PEG tube would have increased risk of aspiration. Now at present, vomiting after PEG tube feeding could have exacerbated it.
Yes, it was lots of fluids. The leaking in lung, stayed in lung, causing further damage to lungs.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, here to help again.
If you do not have any further queries, you can close the discussion and rate the answers.
Dr. Prakash HM
Yes, its a norm usually following in patients with swallowing difficulty
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking again.
In Patients with lung disorder with aspiration, direct oral feeds are avoided to avoid further possibility of repeat aspiration. That was the reason PEG tube was used.
Oral swallowing without PEG tube would have increased risk of aspiration. Now at present, vomiting after PEG tube feeding could have exacerbated it.
Yes, it was lots of fluids. The leaking in lung, stayed in lung, causing further damage to lungs.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, here to help again.
If you do not have any further queries, you can close the discussion and rate the answers.
Dr. Prakash HM
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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