injuries and poisoning
Tension Pneumothorax
Introduction
Tension pneumothorax occurs when air accumulates between the chest wall and the lung and increases pressure in the chest, reducing the amount of blood returned to the heart. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, and a racing heart, followed by shock. Doctors can usually diagnose tension pneumothorax based on the person's history, symptoms, and examination results. Doctors immediately insert a large needle into the chest to remove the air. (See also Introduction to Chest Injuries .) In an ordinary Pneumothorax , injury to a lung allows a certain amount of air to enter the space between the lung and the chest wall (pleural space). Typically, the air stops accumulating. However, in tension pneumothorax, air continues to enter the pleural space as the person breathes and pressure rises inside the chest. The rise in pressure reduces the amount of blood returning from the body to the heart because the blood cannot force its way into the chest and back to the heart. As a result, the heart has less blood to pump to the body, resulting in 