A pneumothorax is a collapsed lung.
A pneumothorax occurs when air leaks into the space between your lung and chest wall.
This air pushes on the outside of your lung and makes it collapse.
Pneumothorax can be a complete lung collapse or a collapse of only a portion of the lung.
A pneumothorax can be caused by a blunt or penetrating chest injury, certain medical procedures, or damage from underlying lung disease.
Thoracic surgeons explain that in some clinical cases the exact cause remains unknown.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of a pneumothorax are sudden chest pain and shortness of breath.
Causes
A pneumothorax can be caused by:
- Chest injury.
- Lung disease.
- Ruptured air blisters.
- Mechanical ventilation.
Risk factors for a pneumothorax include:
- Gender (man are more likely to have pneumothorax)
- Smoking.
- Genetics.
Diagnosis
A pneumothorax is generally diagnosed using:
- Chest X-ray.
- Computerized tomography (CT)
Treatment
As you know, a collapsed lung is a life-threatening pathology.
At the initial stage of treatment, it is necessary to puncture the pleural cavity, ie to pump out the accumulated air. If this method does not prove effective, a thoracic surgeon will resort to a method called pleural drainage with active air aspiration. It is quite possible that this mini-operation will be ineffective and the lung tissue will not expand - surgery is prescribed in such clinical cases!
During the operation, the damaged lung tissue is sutured, and for further observation (to monitor the state of health), drainage is required until the lung is fully open.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pneumothorax/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350372
