# Tear in lungs at birth



## KBinSATX (Jan 17, 2006)

Quote:

He had his cord wrapped around his neck 2 times and had a tear in each lung so his chest was full of air.
What does this mean and how do babies get tears in their lungs (at birth)?


----------



## MsBlack (Apr 10, 2007)

I don't know, but this would have to be crazy unusual. Never heard of it before.


----------



## Changed (Mar 14, 2004)

Never heard of that! I've heard of babies needing a kick start and being bagged too forcefully causing some sort of similar damage to the lungs. That sounds like a way of making it seem like a birth trauma rather than a birth injury.


----------



## NatureMama3 (Feb 25, 2004)

sounds like a collapsed lung.


----------



## KBinSATX (Jan 17, 2006)

Why does it collapse?


----------



## NatureMama3 (Feb 25, 2004)

I think the technical term is pneumothorax. here's info on how it can happen, etc

http://www.schneiderchildrenshospita...n/pnethorx.htm


----------



## JesseMomme (Apr 6, 2002)

I was thinking pnuemothorax too. My ds1 had a partially collapsed lung due to aggressive suctioning.


----------



## MsBlack (Apr 10, 2007)

Ahhhhh, yes. If cord was wrapped tightly and baby had difficulty starting up breathing, then deep suctioning and/or bagging could well do lung damage.


----------



## BugMacGee (Aug 18, 2006)

Suctioning doesn't cause pneumo's. Especially the suctioning done at birth.
It's doesn't go into the lungs, just clears the upper airways. Deep suctioning goes down into the stomach.

Bagging at inappropriate PIP's can cause them. Most manometers are set with pop-offs so this doesn't happen. People who don't have a lot of experience with bagging are more likely to deliver very high PIP's.


----------



## KBinSATX (Jan 17, 2006)

Interesting.
So what's 'bagging'?
And what are PIPs?


----------



## Changed (Mar 14, 2004)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bag_valve_mask


----------

