Pneumothorax

• A pneumothorax is free air in the chest outside the lung.

Cause:

• can occur spontaneously (with or without underlying lung disease)
  • following a fractured rib
  • occur in the wake of chest surgery
  • be deliberately induced in order to collapse the lung
  • Smoking has been shown to increase the risk for spontaneous pneumothorax

Treatment

• A small pneumothorax without underlying lung disease may resolve on its own
• A larger pneumothorax and a pneumothorax associated with underlying lung disease often require aspiration of the free air and/or placement of a chest tube to evacuate the air.
  • Possible complications of chest tube insertion include:
    • pain
    • infection of the space between the lung and chest wall (the pleural space)
    • hemorrhage (bleeding)
    • fluid accumulation in the lung
    • and low blood pressure (hypotension)