How many days does it usually take for a newborn to recover from pneumothorax? What is pneumothorax?

Pneumothorax refers to the entry of gas into the pleural cavity, causing a state of gas accumulation, which is called pneumothorax. So what is neonatal pneumothorax? How many days does it take for a newborn's pneumothorax to heal?

1. What is neonatal pneumothorax?

Gas enters the pleural cavity of newborns (infants from birth to 28 days old), causing a pneumonic state. The incidence rate is 1%-2% in newborns.

Beware of pneumothorax in newborns

2. Classification of neonatal pneumothorax Pathological pneumothorax occurs in newborns with underlying diseases, such as hyaline membrane disease; it is caused by diseases of the lungs themselves and is more common in full-term infants, who often have a history of intrauterine distress or asphyxia after birth.

Iatrogenic pneumothorax refers to pneumothorax caused by medical diagnosis or treatment procedures. It often occurs in children with severe asphyxia, meconium aspiration syndrome and respiratory failure during the process of bag pressurized oxygen supply, oxygen tube intubation, resuscitation or mechanical ventilation.

Spontaneous pneumothorax refers to pneumothorax of a newborn caused by rupture of lung tissue and pleura without external trauma or human factors.

3. How to detect when your baby is suffering - Clinical manifestations include persistent dyspnea after resuscitation from asphyxia that cannot be relieved by oxygen administration, or sudden onset of dyspnea (or dyspnea after the primary disease has stabilized), groaning, and restlessness.

There are no obvious symptoms except shortness of breath. Physical examination may reveal varying degrees of dyspnea and cyanosis.

The child's chest is bulging, the intercostal spaces are full, the percussion sound is too clear, and the breath sounds on auscultation are weakened or disappeared.

A very small number of children have no respiratory symptoms and are only found in chest X-rays. Children with primary diseases also have manifestations of the corresponding primary diseases.

4. Auxiliary examination

1. X-ray is the most reliable method for diagnosing pneumothorax

2. Blood gas analysis shows that the partial pressure of oxygen decreases and the partial pressure of carbon dioxide increases.

Treatment principles - exhaust and decompression, early lung re-expansion

Conservative treatment - mild symptoms, no obvious dyspnea, and pneumothorax volume less than 30%. High-flow oxygen inhalation accelerates gas absorption and lung re-expansion, and the pneumothorax can usually be absorbed within 24-48 hours.

Thoracentesis – for those with dyspnea or lung compression above 30%

Closed chest drainage - Pneumothorax compresses breathing, with unilateral lung compression exceeding 30%.