Pneumothorax

[Sarah]

A condition in which air or other gas is present in the cavityof the chest; -- called also pneumatothorax.

[Cami]

A pneumothorax is the presence of air between the two layers of pleura (thin, transparent, two-layered membrane that covers the lungs and also lines the inside of the chest wall), resulting in partial or complete collapse of the lung.

Symptoms include difficulty breathing and chest pain.
Diagnosis is by chest x-ray.
Treatment is usually draining the air with a tube or sometimes a plastic catheter inserted into the chest.

(See also Overview of Pleural and Mediastinal Disorders.)
Normally, the pressure in the pleural space is lower than that inside the lungs or outside the chest. If a perforation develops that causes a connection between the pleural space and the inside of the lungs or outside the chest, air enters the pleural space until the pressures become equal or the connection closes. When there is air in the pleural space, the lung partially collapses. Sometimes most or all of the lung collapses, leading to severe shortness of breath.
Primary spontaneous pneumothorax is a pneumothorax that occurs without any apparent cause in people without a known lung disorder. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax usually occurs when a small weakened area of lung (bulla) ruptures. The condition is most common in tall men younger than age 40 who smoke. Most people recover fully. However, primary spontaneous pneumothorax recurs in up to 50% of people.
Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax occurs in people with an underlying lung disorder. This type of pneumothorax most often occurs when a bulla ruptures in an older person who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but it also occurs in people with other lung conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis, sarcoidosis, lung abscess, tuberculosis, and Pneumocystis pneumonia. Because of the underlying lung disorder, the symptoms and outcome are generally worse in secondary spontaneous pneumothorax. The recurrence rate is similar to that of primary spontaneous pneumothorax.
Catamenial pneumothorax is a rare form of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax. It occurs within 48 hours of the onset of menstruation in premenopausal women and sometimes in postmenopausal women taking estrogen . The cause is endometriosis in the chest, possibly due to tissue from the lining of the uterus (endometrium) moving to the lungs through an opening in the diaphragm or through the veins (endometriosis is the medical term used when endometrial tissue appears anywhere outside the uterus).
A pneumothorax may also occur after an injury or a medical procedure that introduces air into the pleural space (called traumatic pneumothorax). Medical procedures such as thoracentesis, bronchoscopy, or thoracoscopy may cause traumatic pneumothorax. Ventilators can cause pressure damage to the lungs that leads to a pneumothorax—most often in people with COPD or severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Changes in lung pressure (as occur in divers [barotrauma] and airline pilots) can increase the risk of pneumothorax.

[Zipporah Schumaker]

Pneumothorax is air in the pleural space causing partial or complete lung collapse. Pneumothorax can occur spontaneously or result from trauma or medical procedures. Diagnosis is based on clinical criteria and chest x-ray. Most pneumothoraces require transcatheter aspiration or tube thoracostomy.

[Raeanne Dimick]

The presence of air or gas in the cavity between the lungs and the chest wall, causing collapse of the lung.