pulmonary disorders
Pneumothorax
Complications of Pneumothorax
The 3 main problems encountered when treating pneumothorax are Air leaks Failure of the lung to expand Re-expansion pulmonary edema Air leaksare usually due to the primary defect—ie, continued leakage of air from the lung into the pleural space—but can be due to air leaking around the chest tube insertion site if the site is not properly sutured and sealed. Air leaks are more common in secondary than in primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Most resolve spontaneously in<1 week. Failure of the lung to re-expandis usually due to one of the following: Persistent air leak Endobronchial obstruction Trapped lung Malpositioned chest tube Blood pleurodesis (a blood patch), endobronchial valves, thoracoscopy, or thoracotomy should be considered if an air leak or an incompletely expanded lung persists beyond 1 week. Re-expansion pulmonary edemaoccurs when the lung is rapidly expanded, as occurs when a chest tube is connected to negative pressure after the lung has been collapsed for>2 days. Treatment is supportive, with oxygen, diuretics, and cardiopulmonary support as needed. 