UKC

Hi I was looking for some advice on a medical query I'm having at the moment though obviously I am getting advice from my GP as well as here.

Two years ago I had a collapsed lung and it was one of those rare cases where I had to have surgery to fix it. I am now hoping to go the Alps on short notice for the first time(5th June)to climb and mountaineer. I am physically fit enough to go on the trip but I have concerns because the lung that did not collapse last time is more likely to collapse than in someone who has never had any lung collapses. Does anyone have any educated advice to give simply on whether I should go on the trip. 2 years ago I was told to avoid going deep sea diving but I never asked for any sound medical opinion on going high altitude hiking. (I guess after being attached to a chest drain for 4 weeks and then having your lung stapled back together and sealed to your chest they don't expect you to do anything like that).

In reply to Keelan McNulty:

Hi, I have had 2 collapsed lungs (not stapled), and was advised not to go diving or on a plane for a couple of years. After 2 years, I was on a plane and climbing in the Alps, but I have not been diving...

In reply to Keelan McNulty:

I've had a collapsed lung brought on my broken rib and have since climbed 4000m peaks. In fact I climbed those peaks within about 4 months of the collapsed lung. No problem.

I also have a mate with a similar condition to you - i.e. both lungs have separately spontaneously collapsed. They didn't need surgery but he has been told no deep sea diving. He did specifically ask about high altitude mountaineering and the doctor gave him the all clear. He's planning mount cook for this year which is just shy of 4000m.

Deep sea diving provide the opposite problem from high altitude - deep sea diving = lots of pressure, high altitude mountaineering = lack of pressure.

My conclusion is, you will be fine.

But I'm a software guy, not a doctor.

In reply to Keelan McNulty:

You are correct, no issues (now that you have had presumably curative surgery).

Whilst I'm not your doctor, there is no medical reason (on the basis of the information above) to advise against a trip to the alps.

You may need to advise your travel insurers (BMC or Snowcard etc) that you have had a previous primary spontaneous pneumothorax, that has had curative treatment in the form of (I'm assuming) a video assisted thoracoscopic pleurodesis, and have subsequently been discharged from follow up.

They are unlikely to place any restrictions on your insurance (and if they do call and ask them politely why they are placing restrictions on an inactive medical problem that has been demonstrably cured).

You still won't be allowed to be professional diver however

Happy to discuss by pm if you wish. Whilst I'm not your doctor (and so have no legal responsibility for the above advice) then this is the advice I have given previously in this situation and it is the accepted standard.

Cheers

Ben
(Consultant respiratory physician)

In reply to Keelan McNulty:

I had two simultaneous spontaneous collapsed lungs 30 years ago that were fixed by sticking my lungs to my chest wall. since then I have climbed big mountains and SCUBA dived with no problems. the surgeon that did it was quite chuffed when i wrote to him telling him I had climbed Mont Blanc the year after the operation!

In reply to ben b:

Bloody hell!

You cant really ask for a better response than that

Brilliant

In reply to Keelan McNulty:

Maybe try emailing one of these guys your question...

http://medex.org.uk/diploma/dh%20UIAA%20DMM%20Holders%20Pub.pdf

In reply to Keelan McNulty:
Thanks for sharing your personal experiences and giving me some help I really appreciate it, There was a lot more replies waiting for me than I expected. Unfortunately at the moment the time I was planning to go (from the 5th of June), the Alps are just looking rainy, guess I might be waiting till next year to try them out
Also Ben b yeh your reply was pretty perfect, thanks!

In reply to Keelan McNulty:

No problem.

Plenty of time for the weather to perk up - and that microbrewery on the road north out of town looks like a good place to wait for good weather!

Anyway, have a great trip wherever you end up

b

In reply to Keelan McNulty:

Depends which Alpine range you are going to? Its certainly won't be rainy here in June.

In reply to Keelan McNulty:
A sneaky way to get 'advice' is to apply for your travel and high altitude insurance. Tell them about your medical problems and get their assessor to make a judgement. It will be based on pretty sound statistics...and if they say they wouldn't insure you I wouldn't go. I'm not sure if there is likely to be a problem or not.

BTW scuba diving after a spontaneous pneumothorax even after corrective surgery is classed as high risk and shouldn't be done without full assessment. I've just looked it up and 5 years problem free with a normal CT/MRI and you MIGHT be OK. NHS won't pay for the MRI tho'

In reply to Nigel Modern:

After a spontaneous pneumothorax on one side the rules for diving are effectively both sides need to be surgically fixed - due to the chance of the same thing happening to the other lung being unacceptable given the danger that a pneumothorax deep underwater represents, because of the high pressures at depth - and the lung function has to be normal afterwards. It is still pretty much a no-no for professional divers although the rules for occasional amateur divers are less rigid.

b