What Causes Pressure At The Site Of ICD Insertion?

Posted on Tue, 30 Jun 2015

Question: I am a 41 year old female. Last May I experienced a spontaneous pneumothorax on my left side that required a chest tube; I was in the hospital for 6 days. I have never smoked or had any underlying respiratory issues. Ever since then, I have been experiencing significant deep pressure in the same area where my lung collapsed. Most of the time I feel very heavy pressure or a feeling that there is something very heavy in my chest. Also at times the pain is more sharp, similar to how it felt when my lung collapsed, and hurts to breathe. I have been to several doctors and have tried NSAIDs, steroids and other antiinflammatory therapies, but to no avail. It makes me feel very uncomfortable and at times I have to lie down because it hurts and so much pressure. I just want to know if this is a common occurrence and will it ever go away? No one can seem to tell me what is happening. My family dr seems to think its all anxiety but I know it's not. IT occurs even when I'm relaxing and at rest.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (35 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You might be having pleural thickening.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
In my opinion, you are mostly having pleural thickening at the site of ICD insertion.
This is normal healing after ICD insertion. Pleural layers,at that site become fibrosed and thickened. So on coughing,sneezing,laughing etc,these layers cause pain due to thickening. This is normal phenomenon after ICD insertion.
So ,better to get done repeat chest x ray and ultrasound examination of chest.
Chest x ray is needed to rule out other pathology of lungs.
Ultrasound is needed to confirm pleural thickening.
You can apply warm water pad on affected site for pain relief.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (4 hours later)

Thank you for your response, but you said pleural thickening can happen after ICD procedure. I did not have an ICD; I had a pneumothorax and a chest tube for 5 days. Can pleural thickening occur after a pneumothorax and chest tube? I've been having this heavy pressure and pain with breathing for over a year now. Will it go away or is there treatment?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
ICD and chest tube are same.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
ICD means intercostal drainage. And it is done through chest tube only. So both of these are same.
And yes pain will gradually go by its own slowly. This can take up to 2-3 years.
First get it confirmed by ultrasound examination .
Hope I have solved your query.
If you are not having further queries then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/asdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar