Pneumothorax, Pneumomediastinum, Pneumocardium, SubQ Emphysema Flashcards
what is a pneumothorax?
air in the pleural space –> incr. pleural presure –> lung collapse
what is required to definitively diagnose pneumothorax?
visceral pleural line (convex toward the chest wall); parallel to the chest wall curve
what other diseases produce absent lung markings?
bullous disease of the lung
large cysts in the lung
pulmonary embolism
what are signs of pneumothorax?
- visible visceral pleural line
- absent lung markings distal to the visceral pleural line
- deepl sulcus sign (displaced costophrenic angle)
- air-fluid interface in pleural space
how do you categorize pneumothoraxes?
- cause (primary vs. secondary)
- presence of shifted mediastinal structures
what’s the different causes of pneumothorax?
- spontaneous: ruptured apical subpleural blebs
- traumatic
- dec. lung compliance: chronic fibrotic diseases (eosinophilic granuloma)
- stiffen lung (hyaline membranes)
- ruptured alveolus / bronchiole (asthma)
when do you need a chest tube drainage for pneumothorax?
-2 cm rule: distance b/w lung margine + chest wall at the apex is <2 cm
what is pneumomediastinum?
air tracks along the bronchovascular bundles in the lung to the mediastinum (often in patients w/ pulmonary interstitial emphysema)
how does pneumopericardium appear?
visible parietal pericardium outlining air around the heart
-air does not extend above the reflection of the aorta
what is the continuous diaphragm sign?
air outlines the central portion of the diaphragm beneath the heart –> unbroken superior surface of the diaphragm from lateral chest wall to the other
seen in pneumomediastinum
what is subcutaneous emphysema?
air extends into the subQ tissues of the neck, chest, abdominal walls –> mediastinum (not clinically significant and usually can self-resolve)
