What is pneumothorax? What are the types of pneumothorax? How to treat it?

A while ago, when the school just started, the editor heard that a student from a certain university suffered pneumothorax due to helping his classmates load and unload checked luggage. So what is pneumothorax? What is the cause? How to treat it?

What is pneumothorax?

Pneumothorax refers to a state in which gas enters the pleural cavity due to various reasons, causing gas accumulation in the pleural cavity. It is mostly caused by various reasons leading to damage to lung tissue, trachea, or open injury to the chest wall caused by external force. This disease is one of the pulmonary emergencies. In severe cases, it can be life-threatening, but it can be cured with timely treatment.

1. Classification

(1) Closed pneumothorax: After a certain amount of gas leaks into the pleural cavity, the primary wound is closed and no more gas leaks out;

(2) Open pneumothorax: The pleural cavity is the same as the outside world. During breathing, gas enters and exits the pleural cavity, which can easily cause mediastinal oscillation and endanger life.

(3) Tension pneumothorax: gas continues to overflow and accumulate in the pleural cavity, compressing the visceral organs in the chest cavity, and the clinical symptoms are obvious.

2. Clinical manifestations

When the amount of gas in closed pneumothorax is small, there may be no obvious symptoms. When the amount of gas is large, there may be compressive symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, chest pain, or cough. In severe cases, the chest cavity on the affected side is full, compressing the internal organs in the chest cavity, which can cause severe breathing difficulties. Spontaneous pneumothorax without underlying disease is more common in young, tall and thin people.

3. Treatment

(1) Conservative treatment: Closed pneumothorax with a small amount of gas can heal on its own;

(2) Closed chest drainage: When the amount of gas is large or the air leakage is continuous, closed chest drainage or thoracentesis can be performed;

(3) Surgical treatment: Surgical treatment can be performed for tension pneumothorax or open pneumothorax or when the primary disease needs to be treated simultaneously.