pneumothorax management

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is a paucity of data on later healthcare visits and retreatments after primary treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax. The main purpose of this study was to describe retreatment rates up to 5 years after primary spontaneous pneumothorax treated with either surgery or tube thoracostomy (TT) at index hospitalization in Finland between 2005 and 2018 to estimate the burden of primary spontaneous pneumothorax on the healthcare system. METHODS: Retrospective registry-based study of patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax treated with TT or surgery in Finland in 2005-2018...

A 45-year-old male with tongue cancer and obstructive sleep apnea presented for glossectomy and right neck dissection. He underwent a difficult nasal intubation assisted by a bougie and Glidescope. After an otherwise uneventful procedure, the patient was extubated and taken to recovery. Several hours later, he developed increased respirations and decreased oxygen (O2 ) saturation with decreased air movement on the right side of his chest. A chest X-ray confirmed a right pneumothorax. A chest tube was placed with immediate improvement of O2 saturation and breathing...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Medical thoracoscopy (MT) is an endoscopic technique performed by interventional pulmonologists with a favorable safety profile and few contraindications, providing diagnostic and therapeutic intervention in a single sitting. This narrative review was designed to summarize the therapeutic role of MT based on the latest results from the available literature. METHODS: Pertinent literature published in English, relative to human studies, between 2010-2022 was searched in Medline/PubMed and Cochrane databases...

In-chamber pneumothorax has complicated medically remote professional diving operations, submarine escape training, management of decompression illness, and hospital-based provision of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Attempts to avoid thoracotomy by combination of high oxygen partial pressure breathing (the concept of inherent unsaturation) and greatly slowed rates of chamber decompression proved successful on several occasions. When this delicate balance designed to prevent the intrapleural gas volume from expanding faster than it contracts proved futile, chest drains were inserted...

The presence of a pneumothorax within a pressurized chamber represents unique diagnostic and management challenges. This is particularly the case in the medical and geographic remoteness of many chamber locations. Upon commencing chamber decompression, unvented intrapleural air expands. If its initial volume and/or degree of chamber pressure reduction is significant enough, a tension pneumothorax will result. Numerous reports chronicle failure to diagnose and manage in-chamber pneumothorax with resultant morbidity and one fatal outcome...

BACKGROUND: Pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema are respiratory complications of Coronavirus disease 2019 occurring with noteworthy frequency in patients especially with severe disease. They can be life-threatening and often complicate patient managment. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational study of patients admitted in Nepal Armed Police Force hospital from 13/05/2020 to 28/12/2021 diagnosed with pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum or subcutaneous emphysema singly or in combination...

Giant bullous emphysema (GBE) is a progressive disease that commonly presents with severe progressive dyspnea attributed to the progressive destruction of alveolar walls and the formation of large air pockets, resulting in impaired gas exchange. This presentation is most commonly seen in young, thin male smokers. GBE poses an interesting and unique clinical challenge due to its radiologic findings, which can be easily mistaken for tension pneumothorax. Despite the decreased acuity of GBE as compared to tension pneumothorax, inadequate treatment in a severe case can lead to spontaneous pneumothorax, infection, and/or respiratory failure...

Five sessions presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress 2023 were selected by Assembly 8, consisting of thoracic surgeons and lung transplant professionals. Highlights covering management of adult spontaneous pneumothorax, malignant pleural effusion, infectious and immune-mediated complications after lung transplantation, as well as the pro and con debate on age limit in lung transplantation and results of the ScanCLAD study were summarised by early career members, supervised by the assembly faculty...

BACKGROUND: A tension pneumothorax is a condition that results in elevated pressure within the pleural space. The effective management of tension pneumothorax relies on needle decompression, commonly performed at the second intercostal space (ICS) midclavicular line (MCL). However, some literature suggests that catheters placed in the second intercostal space midclavicular line are prone to higher failure rates compared to the fifth intercostal space midaxillary line (MAL) (42.5% versus 16...

Isolated thoracic trauma is rare in children. Because of their small body size, the trauma often also affects other spaces, such as the abdomen and head, and these coexistences significantly increase the rate of mortality. However, in isolated thoracic traumas, the children can quickly recover if they can survive the initial period of trauma. Pediatric thoracic trauma cases can have a different clinical course compared to adults due to the unique anatomic and physiologic properties of children's thoracic cages...

Re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication that can occur after rapid lung expansion following the management of lung collapse. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the risk factors for RPE following chest tube drainage in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. We conducted a comprehensive systematic literature search in electronic databases of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest to identify studies that explore the risk factors for RPE following chest tube drainage in spontaneous pneumothorax...

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic tension gastrothorax is a type of obstructive shock similar to tension pneumothorax. However, tension gastrothorax is not well known among emergency physicians, and no consensus has yet been reached on management during initial trauma care. We present a case of traumatic tension gastrothorax in which tube thoracostomy was performed based solely on clinical findings very similar to tension pneumothorax, followed by emergency laparotomy. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 24-year-old male motorcyclist was brought to our emergency medical center after being struck by a motor vehicle...

BACKGROUND: Endobronchial valve (EBV) therapy, a validated method for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) in severe emphysema, has been explored for persistent air-leak (PAL) management. However, its effectiveness and safety in the Asian population require further real-world evaluation. In this study, we assessed the outcomes of treatment with EBV within this demographic. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records from 11 Korean centers...

Rib fractures are a common result of blunt thoracic trauma. Complications of rib fractures include pneumothorax, hemothorax, respiratory failure, and death. The conservative management of rib fractures has been the mainstay of care with surgical rib fixation as a secondary management only performed in complicated flail segments. The purpose of this retrospective study is to describe the outcomes of six patients who underwent surgical rib fixation following a traumatic injury at a Level 1 trauma center. All care for these cases was performed at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, CA...

PURPOSE: Hypoplastic pedicles of the thoracolumbar spine (<5 mm diameter) are often found in syndromic deformities of the spine and pose a challenge in pedicle screw instrumentation. 3D-printed patient-specific guides might help overcome anatomical difficulties when instrumenting pedicles with screws, thereby reducing the necessity for less effective fixation methods such as hooks or sublaminar wires. In this study, the surgical feasibility and clinical outcome of patients with hypoplastic pedicles following pedicle screw instrumentation with 3D-printed patient-specific guides were assessed...

BACKGROUND: The standard for managing traumatic pneumothorax (PTX), hemothorax (HTX), and hemopneumothorax (HPTX) has historically been large-bore (LB) chest tubes (>20-Fr). Previous studies have shown equal efficacy of small-bore (SB) chest tubes (≤19-Fr) in draining PTX and HTX/HPTX. This study aimed to evaluate provider practice patterns, treatment efficacy, and complications related to the selection of chest tube sizes for patients with thoracic trauma. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on adult patients who underwent tube thoracostomy for traumatic PTX, HTX, or HPTX at a Level 1 Trauma Center from January 2016 to December 2021...

PURPOSE: Inhalation of a foreign body is a real emergency in pediatric age and requires prompt diagnosis and treatment to reduce mortality. The objective of this study is to analyze clinical and radiological details, types, and localization of foreign bodies in patients conducted or to our hospital with suspected inhalation. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all cases of foreign body inhalation admitted to our Pediatric Emergency Room between January 2009 and June 2022...

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurocutaneous disease that manifests across multiple body systems. While there are substantial guidelines and protocols for managing the physical presentation of the disease, managing the psychosocial factors and the adverse effects as a social determinant of health is complex and unclear. This study discusses a patient with TSC who was hospitalized for pneumonia and how both her psychiatric and somatic symptoms were managed. Here we present the case of a 38-year-old Caucasian female with shortness of breath and generalized weakness...

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a significant and novel cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the incidence of cases involving pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum. However, the risk factors associated with poor outcomes in these patients remain unclear. Methods: This observational study collected clinical and imaging data from COVID-19 patients with PTX and/or PNM across five tertiary hospitals in central Italy between 1 March 2020 and 1 March 2022...

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) is a widespread clinical entity, and methods of managing adult SP remain controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to further determine the clinical efficacy and safety of simple aspiration (SA) in comparison to intercostal tube drainage (ITD) during the management of adult SP. METHODS: EMBASE, Medline and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials via Ovid SP were searched (to June 2023) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCT) that reported outcomes of interest after comparing SA with ITD for the management of adult SP...