Air Travel After Sustaining A Puntured Lung

[ThaiPauly]

I really need to get back to the UK in 18 days.

I was discharged by the hospital 4 days ago.

I have been told that there are restrictions on people flying with this condition

Does one need to inform the airline?

Are the risks of problems high?

If so how long after you are declared "Fit" by the hosptal are the airlines happy to take you?

(A Doctor at the hospital said two weeks...but I don't believe they have a clue)

Would I need to take out special insurance?

I have only found out that I really need to be back by July 17th today and can't find out anything from the airlines or travel agents till Monday now.

If anyone has ANY ideas on this I would be grateful.

Obviously I will not take any opinions as "Gospel" as that would not be fair on anyone attempting to help me with my queries, so ANYTHING you can add would be useful

Many Thanks

TP

[Sheryl]

I really need to get back to the UK in 18 days.

I was discharged by the hospital 4 days ago.

I have been told that there are restrictions on people flying with this condition

Does one need to inform the airline?

Are the risks of problems high?

If so how long after you are declared "Fit" by the hosptal are the airlines happy to take you?

(A Doctor at the hospital said two weeks...but I don't believe they have a clue)

Would I need to take out special insurance?

I have only found out that I really need to be back by July 17th today and can't find out anything from the airlines or travel agents till Monday now.

If anyone has ANY ideas on this I would be grateful.

Obviously I will not take any opinions as "Gospel" as that would not be fair on anyone attempting to help me with my queries, so ANYTHING you can add would be useful

Many Thanks

TP

TP,

you are right to be concerned.Although modern planes are pressurized there is still some change in pressure experienced (hence the clogged ear feeling sometimes), and much more can occur if there is any sort of malfunction. The problme in your case is that the lining of the lungs (pleura) was punctured. Normally the lungs are completely encased so that the only entry and exit of air is through the respiraory tract. But when the lining punctures, this seal is broken and air can rush in through the chest, collapsing the lung, which is what happened to you. Your lung has now re-inflated and the tear in the lining has closed but is not fully healed; think of it like a sirgical incision that could burst open under strain. The changes in pressure in the surrounding air that happen when flying can trigger this. Hence it is risky to fly until the tear in the pleura is completely healed and the lining of the lung back to normal strength. 2 weeks is about right for that.

So my advice is -- try not to fly until the 2 weeks have passed if at all possible, and get a repeat Chest Xray before you do. Preferrably at a different, better hospital.

As for telling the airlines, that will produce only 1 of 3 results:

They'll let you fly provided you show a doctors note

They'll refuse to let you fly unless accompanied by a medical attendant OR

They'll make you sign a waiver of responsibility

None of those outcomes help you in anyway so I see not point to it. There isn't anything the airline can do to make you any safer while in flight nor anything they can do to help you if your lung does collapse again other than make an emergency landing as soon as they can. The treatment required is insertion of chest tubes and requires a skilled physician or paramedic.

[chuchok]

Mate, you should post this in the Chiang Mai forum and tell people what hospital 'accidentally' puntured your lung.They sould be named and shamed. Chiang Mai Ram