BLVR inpatient stay after procedure

Hospital Stay

  • Minimum of three nights with daily morning chest X-rays.
  • Ambulation:
    • Days 0 - 1: Limit to in-room ambulation as tolerated
    • Days 2 - discharge:  Ambulate in hallway 4 times daily

Discharge Day

  • Perform a walk test to assess oxygen needs.
  • Schedule 6-week follow-up with the pulmonologist who did the initial bLVR consult along with PFTs (spirometry, lung volumes, DLco) and a non-contrast chest CT at that time.
  • Instruct patients to call for: worsening shortness of breath, cough, purulent sputum, fever, chills, hemoptysis, or chest pain.
  • Activities are not restricted, but no air travel until medically cleared.   All patients should have a mandatory pulmonary consult and should be seen by the consult team daily until discharge. We aim to admit patients to the PIM service, but beds are often limited. If the patient is admitted to PIM and then is transferred out, please communicate with the consult team directly so that they can facilitate the patient’s timely discharge.