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Pneumothorax

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Pneumothorax

  • See Also
  1. Blunt Chest Trauma
  • Types
  1. Spontaneous Pneumothorax (Simple Pneumothorax)
  2. Open Pneumothorax
  3. Tension Pneumothorax
  4. Hemothorax
  • Pathophysiology
  1. Air enters potential space between the visceral pleura and the parietal pleura
  2. Tension Pneumothorax may result
    1. Air accumulates in the pleural space with each breath taken
    2. Pressure compresses the lung tissue and inhibits venous return with secondary decreased Cardiac Output
  • Causes
  • Adults
  1. Blunt Chest Trauma
    1. Most common cause of sports-related Pneumothorax
    2. Consider other concurrent injuries (e.g. Pulmonary Contusion)
  2. Penetrating Chest Trauma
  3. Spontaneous Pneumothorax
  4. Iatrogenic Pneumothorax (secondary to medical procedure)
  • Risk Factors
  • Newborns (1-3% of births)
  1. Premature Infant
  2. Respiratory distress syndrome
  3. Meconium Aspiration Syndrome
  • Signs
  1. Decreased breath sounds
  2. Hyperresonance to percussion
  • Imaging
  1. Chest XRay
    1. See Pneumothorax Imaging
    2. Upright and end expiratory films are preferred
    3. Supine Chest XRay is unreliable and likely to yield a False Negative study
  2. Ultrasound
    1. See Lung Ultrasound for Pneumothorax (Sliding Lung Sign)
    2. Part of Extended FAST Exam
  • Precautions
  1. Until a Chest Tube is placed, Tension Pneumothorax is a risk
  2. Do not perform Positive Pressure Ventilation, general Anesthesia or air transport until Pneumothorax decompression
  3. Consider Esophageal Rupture in the injured patient with a left Pneumothorax or Hemothorax without a Rib Fracture
  • Management
  1. See Spontaneous Pneumothorax (includes disposition and restrictions)
  2. See Tension Pneumothorax
  3. See Open Pneumothorax
  4. See Hemothorax
  5. Non-Traumatic Pneumothorax
    1. See Spontaneous Pneumothorax
  6. Traumatic Pneumothorax
    1. Chest Tube at 4-5th intercostal space at the mid-axillary line
      1. Confirm Chest Tube placement with Chest XRay
    2. Outside of Hemothorax (and hemopneumothorax), Small Caliber Chest Tubes appear safe in uncomplicated Traumatic Pneumothorax
      1. Small Caliber Chest Tubes are as effective and significantly less painful than standard Chest Tubes in Pneumothorax
      2. Kulvatunyou (2014) Br J Surg 101(2): 17-22 [PubMed]
  • Complications
  1. Tension Pneumothorax