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Pneumothorax is a medical condition when sudden pressure changes in the chest and lung region cause air or gases to be trapped in the pleural cavity. The pleural cavity is the space between the membrane like pleura and the lungs that help respiration. Pneumothorax can occur quite suddenly or may develop slowly due to some diseases. Often it may be caused due to injuries or accidents. In either case, pneumothorax must be treated as a medical emergency. Timely diagnosis of pneumothorax and treatment of pneumothorax condition can certainly reduce complications.
If you have questions about pneumothorax or risks and treatments for pneumothorax, do make sure you get them answered beforehand.
Causes of pneumothorax: Pneumothorax is classified as primary, secondary spontaneous and traumatic.
Primary spontaneous pneumothorax condition: It can occur with no apparent reason like lung diseases. The exact causes of primary pneumothorax condition are unknown; however, following risk factors have being identified,
- Family history or genetic traits of pneumothoraces
- Smoking
- Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome
- Being male or being tall and previous history of lung problems may increase the risk
Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax condition: Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax condition is attributed to a variety of lung diseases. It can be a result of chronic obstructive lung disease, pulmonary disease and various other factors. These diseases include:
- Respiratory system diseases such as acute asthma, pulmonary diseases and cystic fibrosis
- Infections related to the lungs such as tuberculosis and various forms of pneumonia
- Lung diseases like lymphangioleiomyomatosis, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis and histiocytosis
- Tissue and muscular disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and sclerosis
- Lung cancer, chest and respiratory system related cancers
- Birth defects, measles, sudden induction of foreign objects can cause this condition in children.
Trauma induced pneumothorax condition: Trauma such as injury to the chest and lungs, blasts, sports accidents and sudden pressure changes cause this medical emergency.
Symptoms of pneumothorax condition:
Pneumothorax condition is characterized by chest pain and difficulty to breathe. These are often ignored or confused for presence of other illnesses with similar symptoms. Often these symptoms may go undiagnosed for days and may prove fatal. The symptoms may vary for secondary pneumothorax condition as per the disease. However, some common symptoms are as follows:
- Feeling restriction in the chest or lung area
- Feeling stabbing pain in the chest area
- Feeling pain or discomfort while breathing
- Breathing difficulty leads to decrease in oxygen supply or hypoxia
- Lip and skin color may become pale or bluish due to low oxygen level
- Increased carbon dioxide in the blood stream leads to confusion, anxiety and even coma
Traumatic pneumothorax condition comes to fore with observation of symptoms such as chest or rib fractures. Such symptoms qualify as a medical emergency.
Tension pneumothorax condition occurs when the blood pressure level drops along with oxygen level even though oxygen is given externally. Most of these conditions qualify as pulmonary emergencies and must be given immediate medical care.
Diagnosis of pneumothorax: If a doctor doubts that you are suffering from pneumothorax condition he will first physically examine you. He will look for upward signs like rapid breathing, external swellings or inflammation in the ribs or chest area and changes in blood pressure. He will also listen to the changes in sounds coming from the chest, lungs or heart using a stethoscope. The size of the pneumothorax its spread, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary reserve, extent of respiratory and circulatory problem define the state and requirement for further diagnostic tests. Other diagnostic tests include,
Chest X-Ray: It uses x=rays to obtain pictures of any anomalies in the chest. It can show the size of the Pneumothorax and its extension from chest walls to the lungs. It can show presence of free air or fluids in the chest region
CT scan: Computed tomography or CT scan shows a more accurate picture of the chest. It can be useful for diagnosing secondary of traumatic conditions due to diseases or accidents`
Ultrasound: Ultrasound techniques such as FAST (Focused assessment with zoography for trauma) with the help of bedside ultrasound machines is used to detect chest disorders and defects due to chest trauma
Treatment: The first line of defense in pneumothorax condition is to administer oxygen and to maintain oxygen and blood pressure level. Next the air between the pleural spaces is removed. A needle is inserted along the chest to decompress the region. Needle thoracostomy is carried out in case of tension pneumothorax condition.
- Traumatic pneumothorax condition is a medical emergency treated by using a thoracostomy tube which pumps out to allows the air or fluids in the intercostals spaces to flow out
- In case of primary and spontaneous pneumothorax medical emergency care is administered by inserting a small needle or chest tube and then releasing out the air through an underwater seal.
The side effects and complications of these procedures include temporary breathlessness, diaphragmatic hernia, coagulopathy or bleeding disorders and scarring in and around pleural space
Even though pneumothorax condition sounds complicated you should never ignore its signs. It is in your hands to ask questions about pneumothorax, its effects, treatments and diagnosis. Remember pneumothorax must be treated as a medical emergency.
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