#concepts
Clinical Relevance: Pneumothorax
A pneumothorax (commonly referred to a collapsed lung) occurs when air or gas is present within the pleural space. This removes the surface tension of the serous fluid present in the space, reducing lung extension.
Clinical features include chest pain, and shortness of breath, and asymmetrical chest expansion. Upon percussion, the affected side may be hyper-resonant (due to excess air within the chest).
There are two main classes of pneumothorax – spontaneous and traumatic.
Spontaneous: A spontaneous pneumothorax occurs without a specific cause. It is sub-divided into primary (no underlying respiratory disease) and secondary (underlying respiratory disease present).
Traumatic: A traumatic pneumothorax occurs as a result of blunt or penetrating chest trauma, such as a rib fracture (often seen in road traffic collisions).
November 24, 2023 1.8K 1
