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What Causes Inflammation In The Lungs While Treating Pneumonia?
Question: My husband was diagnosed with pneumonia in November. He was hospitalized from November 22 to December 10 after being treated with vancomyacin and zosyn, which did not kill the infection, and then Levaquin was added. We were told pneumonia was gone and there was just inflammation in the lungs, which they treated with prednisone. We were to taper the dosage, which we did, and he finished the prednisone at the end of December. While home from the hospital, he showed no improvement, and yesterday he was admitted once again a d is back on the vancomyacin and zosyn for possible pneumonia. Now, the phrase "radiation fibrosis" is being thought of as a possible diagnosis. My husband has undergone both radiation and chemo for cancer in 2013 and again in 2016. What is radiation fibrosis and is there a cure?
Brief Answer:
Hello dear. Its a sequele to radiation treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear. I have read the details. I understand your concern. So radiation fibrosis is a late aftereffect of radiation therapy delivered to that part of the body. In simple terms you can understand it like stiffening and inflammation of the lung area which received radiation.
Sorry to say but it is irreversible. There will be frequent episodes of infection, chest pain, cough, breathlessness. Only treatment is antibiotics, breathing exercises, chest physiotherapy and sometimes steroids.
Thanks and regards
Hello dear. Its a sequele to radiation treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear. I have read the details. I understand your concern. So radiation fibrosis is a late aftereffect of radiation therapy delivered to that part of the body. In simple terms you can understand it like stiffening and inflammation of the lung area which received radiation.
Sorry to say but it is irreversible. There will be frequent episodes of infection, chest pain, cough, breathlessness. Only treatment is antibiotics, breathing exercises, chest physiotherapy and sometimes steroids.
Thanks and regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Answered by
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