spontaneous pneumothorax

spontaneous pneumothorax

n.

A pneumothorax occurring secondary to parenchymal lung disease.

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Spontaneous pneumothorax

Air in the chest cavity that occurs because of disease or other naturally occurring cause. Air and blood together in this space is called a pneumohemothorax.

Mentioned in: Chest Drainage Therapy

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spontaneous pneumothorax

Etymology: L, sponte, free will; Gk, pneuma, air, thorax, chest

the presence of air or gas in the pleural space as a result of a rupture of the lung parenchyma and visceral pleura with no demonstrable cause.

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pneumothorax

entry of air into the pleural cavity in sufficient quantity to cause collapse of the lung and consequent respiratory embarrassment. If it is unilateral there is a mediastinal shift with displacement of the heart to the other side of the chest. Breath sounds are absent from the affected side.

Pneumothorax. By permission from Ettinger SJ, Feldman E, Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Saunders, 2004

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closed pneumothorax

air leaks from a discontinuity in the lung into the pleural cavity.

false pneumothorax

artifactual increased radiolucency of the thorax resembling free air in the pleural cavity.

iatrogenic pneumothorax

may occur following intrathoracic surgery or in association with procedures which involve entry into the pleural cavity, such as thoracentesis or placement of a chest drain.

open pneumothorax

caused by an open wound in the chest wall.

spontaneous pneumothorax

due to an unknown cause.

tension pneumothorax

a particularly dangerous form of pneumothorax that occurs when air escapes into the pleural cavity from a bronchus but cannot regain entry into the bronchus. As a result, continuously increasing air pressure in the pleural cavity causes progressive collapse of the lung tissue. If not relieved, it can lead to lung collapse and mediastinal shift.

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spontaneous pneumothorax

Emergency medicine A condition affecting ± 17,000/yr–US, which may be idiopathic or 2º to underlying pulmonary disease–eg, COPD, most commonly occurring in previously healthy tall, thin ♂, age 20-40, 2º to rupture of subpleural blebs At-risk Smokers, family Hx of SP, asthma, emphysema, pneumothorax, rapid ascent to high altitude, histiocytosis.
Clinical Abrupt chest pain, with SOB proportionate to the size of the pneumothorax; tension pneumothorax, while rare, may compromise the circulation by a ball-valve mechanism Treatment Suction followed by water seal drainage Prognosis 30% recur on the same side, a tendency that may be ↓ by intrapleural tetracycline; 10% occur de novo on the opposite side