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Pneumothorax
Medical Questions » Pneumothorax
| Name: Pneumothorax |
| Also known as: |
| The presence of air between the lung and its surrounding pleura. The lung lies in a smooth, slippery sack (the pleura). If the lung develops a puncture, air will leak into the pleural sack around the lung and is unable to escape. More and more air accumulates in the sack, causing pressure on the lung, which eventually collapses. |
Causes of Pneumothorax
Often occurs for no apparent reason (spontaneous pneumothorax), or may be due to a chest injury, and lung diseases such as asthma, tuberculosis, cancer or cystic fibrosis. |
Symptoms of Pneumothorax
Worsening shortness of breath and chest pain. |
Tests for Pneumothorax
A chest X-ray will show the partly collapsed lung. |
Treatment for Pneumothorax
A small pneumothorax may be observed and its progress checked by regular X-rays. If the pneumothorax is large or growing larger, a tube is placed through the chest wall to remove the escaped air, which allows the lung to expand. The outside end of the tube is placed under water to stop air reentering the lungs. Patients who have repeated attacks of spontaneous pneumothorax, may require surgery to repair the damaged area of lung. All patients must stop smoking.
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Complications of Pneumothorax of its treatment
A tension pneumothorax, may be fatal in a few minutes, as every breath pumps large amounts of air out of the lungs and into the pleural cavity. The pressure in the pleural cavity builds up rapidly and causes the lungs to collapse. A large needle or tube must be immediately pushed through the chest wall into the pleural cavity to save the patient' s life. |
Likely Outcome of Pneumothorax
Complete recovery in a few hours or a day or two is normal with correct treatment. |
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