Pneumothorax

Question 1

What is a pneumothorax?

Answer 1

It is when there is air that accumulates in the intrapleural space between the visceral and parietal space. There is loss of negative pressure between the two pleural membranes
Any type of penumothorax can progress to a life threatening condition called a tension pneumothorax

Question 2

What are the different types of pneumothorax?

Answer 2

1. Spontaneous -primary occuring in tall males and secondary which is caused by underlying lung disease
2. traumatic pneumothorax-iatrogenic
3. tension pneumothorax

Question 3

What are the symptoms of pneumothorax?

Answer 3

1. dyspnea
2. ipsilateral pleuritic chest pain
3. reduced breath sounds on affected side
4. hyperresonant on percussion

Question 4

What are the symptoms of a tension pneumothorax?

Answer 4

1. Distended neck veins
2. Haemodynamic instability
3. Tracheal deviation

Question 5

what are the special investigations we do in pneumothorax?

Answer 5

1. chest X-ray
2. ultrasound
3. CT scan

Question 6

What is the most important thing in tension pneumothorax?

Answer 6

needle decompression

Question 7

what X-ray findings would we find in pneumothorax?

Answer 7

1. tracheal deviation
2. shifted mediastinum
3. loss of vascular/lung markings
4. abrupt change in radiolucency
5. deep sulcus sign

Question 8

What are the signs we would find on tension pneumothorax?

Answer 8

1. tracheal deviation towards the contralateral side
2. mediastinal shift to the contralateal side
3. diaphragmatic flattening

Question 9

What is the management of a tension pneumothorax?

Answer 9

Emergency situation

-needle thoractostomy in the mcl 2nd ICS

Question 10

What is the treatment for a pneumothorax?

Answer 10

1. Chest tube placement in the 4-5th ICS between the anterior and median axillary lines