COLUMBUS, Ohio — A pulmonary doctor at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center says he’s seeing some older patients who have recovered from COVID-19 but have suffered from permanent scarring of their lungs.
Dr. Jim Allen Professor of Internal/Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine at OSU Wexner Medical Center says in a healthy lung an X-ray will be black.
But in a patient with inflammation caused by scarring, the lungs look white in the X-ray.
Inflammation of the lung tissue is called pulmonary fibrosis.
“Once scarring gets into the lungs there is nothing you can do to get it out. However, with COVID, like most respiratory infections, there is inflammation and there is scarring. The scar is permanent. The inflammation can be resolved,” he said.
Dr. Allen says most people who get COVID-19 don't get scarring of the lungs.
He says patients who are older or have comorbidities are the small minority of patients who experience scarring.
He says some people who are placed on ventilators can get lung scarring if their lungs are stiff and require a lot of air pressure
“For those patients who have a nonresolving cough and shortness of breath after more than six to eight weeks from the onset of the virus should see their physician,” Dr. Allen said.