What is the condition exactly?
Pneumo means air and pneumothorax means air in the thoracic cavity. Most of the people would think it’s normal to have air in thorax, but no it’s not; the air is in the lungs only. that lie in the thoracic cavity. So the air is not present in the thorax, it’s only found in lungs.
How does a pneumothorax occur?
A pneumothorax is a result of lung collapse. When a lung is ruptured, it leaks the air into the surrounding tissue (the thoracic cavity). This air may push on the outside of your lung and cause damage.
Pneumothorax usually when small, resolves on its own but when the pneumothorax cause large air to be in the cavity, surgical intervention may be resolved.
What are the causes of lung collapse?
A lung collapse may be primary (in absence of lung disease) or secondary (lung disease present). The cause of primary is unknown but it may be due to smoking, male sex, familial presence and use of marijuana.
Secondary pneumothorax may be because of:
- COPDs (emphysema)
- Pulmonary fibrosis (scar formation in lungs)
- Pneumonia
- Sarcoidosis
- Cystic fibrosis
- lung infections,
- tuberculosis,
- Lung cancers etc.
A trauma can also cause a rib to fracture and tear lung, leaking air in the thorax. Surgical procedures may sometimes serve to cause pneumothorax too. It may also appear in scuba divers.
Other chest injuries that penetrate the lung tissue can also produce pneumothorax, e.g.:
- gunshot wounds
- blunt traumas like those involved in car crashes
- lung biopsies involving needle interference.
Tension pneumothorax:
A medical emergency in which the air leaks continuously out of the lung into the thorax resulting in the compression of the structures that are present in the surroundings; blood vessels are also involved (especially those that supply blood back to the heart). This may be fatal if not treated on time.
The signs and symptoms for pneumothorax:
- chest pain (the pain is sudden and sharp. It will not be in the center of and under the breast bone; it will be on the affected side. The pain won’t worsen with the exhalation of the air. You may also have a feeling of lung tightness).
- Because of chest pain, following may be seen: rapid heart rate, shallow and rapid breathing, cough and fatigue.
- shortness of breath (mainly because the lung has collapsed and leaking air; see a doctor soon if it is too severe)
- cyanosis (bluish mucus membranes) may be seen due to deficiency of oxygen supply (in severe cases)
Diagnosis:
The diagnosis is easy. An X-ray or CT scan would do.
Treatment:
A small primary pneumothorax will resolve on its own in 1 to 2 weeks. If however the pneumothorax is larger and is associated with an underlying disease, aspiration may be required. This will involve surgical intervention and drainage.
Possible complications of surgery may be: pain, lung infections or infections of chest wall, accumulation of fluid or leakage of blood in the area (hemorrhage).