children s health issues
Pneumothorax in the Newborn
Treatment of Pneumothorax in the Newborn
Oxygen Sometimes removal of air from the chest cavity No treatment is needed for newborns who do not have symptoms and who have a small pneumothorax. Full-term newborns who have mild symptoms may be placed in a small tent into which oxygen is pumped (an oxygen hood) or receive oxygen via a two-pronged tube placed in the nostrils so that they breathe air that contains more oxygen than the air in the room does. The amount of oxygen given is typically enough to maintain adequate oxygen levels in the blood. If the newborn’s breathing is labored or if the level of oxygen in the blood declines, and particularly if the circulation of blood is impaired, the air must be rapidly removed from the chest cavity. Air is removed from the chest cavity by using a needle and syringe. For newborns who have serious breathing trouble, who are receiving CPAP, or who are on a ventilator, doctors may need to place a plastic tube into the chest cavity to continuously suction and remove air from the chest cavity. The tube can usually be removed after several days. A pneumomediastinum requires no treatment. 