Spontaneous Pneumothorax

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Spontaneous Pneumothorax

• Daniel Brørs

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Spontaneous Pneumothorax

• Pneumothorax (collapsed lung) occurs when air
  accumulates in the pleural space.
• It is usually caused by disease or injury, but
  can also happen spontaneously
• Spontaneous pneumothorax can be divided into
  primary and secondary type.
• Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax
• Caused by the rupture of a bleb in the lining of
  the lung (blister filled with serous fluid).
• Secondary Spontaneous Pneumothorax
• Associated withchronic lung pathology,
  particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary
  disease (COPD)?

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Etiology

• Spontaneous Pneumothorax usually occurs in tall,
  slender men. Often without a history of lung
  disease.
• It is prevalent in northern europe, as its
  countries have the tallest populations.

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Treatment

• In case of small leakages, only observation
  (x-ray) is practiced. The lung reinflates on its
  own.
• More severe cases call for surgery, such as the
  insertion of a chest tube.
• Inserted between 5th and 6th ribs, in
  mid-axillary line

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Treatment

• In reoccuring cases (up to 50), thoracoscopic
  surgery is applied.
• After removing the air from the pleural space,
  there are two usual procedures
• Excision of the bleb, and stapling of its base
• Creating permanent adhesion between visceral and
  parietal pleura by physical trauma to the
  parietal pleura (scar tissue)?

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Sources

• http//www.tidsskriftet.no/?seks_id222770
• http//apps.med.buffalo.edu/procedures/chesttube.a
  sp?p7
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumothorax
• http//www.6051.com/English-version/pneumothorax.h
  tm
• http//www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/00
  0100.htm