Pneumothorax

Traumatic Pneumothorax

Traumatic pneumothorax is air in the pleural space resulting from trauma and causing partial or complete lung collapse. Potential causes include blunt trauma or an injury that damages the chest wall and pleural space. One of the most common ways this occurs is when someone fractures a rib. The sharp points of the broken bone can puncture the chest wall and damage lung tissue.
Divers breathing compressed air (such as when scuba diving) may suffer a pneumothorax as a result of

barotrauma

.
Symptoms

Difficulty breathing

  • Rapidly developing

common

Chest discomfort

  • Occurs or worsens with deep inspiration, Occurs or worsens with laughing, coughing or sneezing

  • Sudden, intense spike of pain

  • Relieved by standing and quiet breathing

  • Right side, Left side

  • Rapidly developing

  • Severe

common

Low blood pressure

common

Rapid heart rate

common

Abnormally rapid breathing

common

Cough with mucus or without mucus

  • Lasting 3 weeks or less

  • Dry

  • An irritating cough that doesn't go away

Risk factors

Recent chest injury or trauma

Treatment
The goal of treatment is to remove the air from the pleural space and allow the lung to reinflate. Usually, a tube (thoracostomy or chest tube) is inserted into the chest between two ribs. The tube is attached to a suction device to remove the air and to allow the lung to reinflate.
Recommended specialist

If you have Pneumothorax, then a visit to a thoracic surgeon as soon as possible.

Contact a

Thoracic surgeon

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