Can you live with half a lung?!
Question: Can you live with half a lung!?
My nephew has been saying for years that he has only a half of lung working!. I don't believe this as he has been able to walk long distances!. I have COPD and know how short of breath i get just walking a few feet so i find it very hard to believe he has only a half lung!. He does do breathing treatments when he feels like it and only takes his inhaler when he wants to so could you answer this question for me so i can point it out to him!? I believe he is a lier!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
I would ask him a few more questions!. He may be speaking jokingly or metaphorically!. Or, he may be one of the rare people who really is doing well!. People who functionally (like COPD patients), anatomically (usually a congenital defect) or surgically (cancer and a lung resectionor or a congenital malformation that has to be resected) can survive!. And some can even approach a normal existence! This is usually with the congenital cases that I mentioned where the other lung tissues can do a remarkable job of compensating!. (See quote below!.)
"Little data are available regarding functional impairment (if any) in children who had lobectomy or other lung resecting surgery as infants!. One small series described 8 children who underwent lobectomy!. No impairment was present in these children, and pulmonary function testing showed lung volumes of 90% of predicted values (suggesting that compensatory growth of the remaining lung occurred) and normal gas exchange indices!." (link provided below)
But the more usual case, as you mentioned, is that there is some reduction of functional capacity!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
"Little data are available regarding functional impairment (if any) in children who had lobectomy or other lung resecting surgery as infants!. One small series described 8 children who underwent lobectomy!. No impairment was present in these children, and pulmonary function testing showed lung volumes of 90% of predicted values (suggesting that compensatory growth of the remaining lung occurred) and normal gas exchange indices!." (link provided below)
But the more usual case, as you mentioned, is that there is some reduction of functional capacity!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
You can! Sometimes with lungs they do a lobectomy - or remove part of the lung!.
You have 5 lobes all together!.
http://www!.cancerline!.com/gUserFiles/lun!.!.!.
Well, the only way he would know would be if he had tests done!. If there is tissue that isn't getting oxygen this will cause it to die - http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Lung_absces!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
You have 5 lobes all together!.
http://www!.cancerline!.com/gUserFiles/lun!.!.!.
Well, the only way he would know would be if he had tests done!. If there is tissue that isn't getting oxygen this will cause it to die - http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Lung_absces!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Yes you can live with half a lung!. You have two lungs total in your body and you don't need both of them to go about living!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Yes you can live with only one lung, maybe only part of his lung is functioning!. Ask his parents what the doctor has told them!.Www@Answer-Health@Com