A collapsed lung happens when air escapes outside of the lungs into the chest. The pressure causes the lung to be unable to expand. This is also called pneumothorax. Show Pneumothorax is the medical term for a collapsed lung. It occurs when air enters the space around your lungs (the pleural space). This can happen when an open injury in your lung tissue causes air to leak into the pleural space. The resulting increased pressure on the outside of your lung causes it to collapse. Pneumothorax can be traumatic or nontraumatic. Traumatic pneumothorax results from an injury, like a blow to the chest. Nontraumatic pneumothorax can happen if you have lung disease, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but it can also happen for no apparent reason in people without lung disease. The long-term impact of pneumothorax can vary. If only a small amount of air is trapped in the pleural space, there may be no further complications. If the volume of air is larger or it affects the heart, it can be life-threatening. If pneumothorax results from trauma, the symptoms often appear at the time of the injury or shortly after. Symptoms of spontaneous pneumothorax might appear when a person is at rest. A sudden attack of chest pain is often the first symptom. Symptoms may include:
There are different ways of categorizing pneumothorax, according to their causes or their impact. One way of differentiating them is as follows:
Other subtypes with either traumatic or nontraumatic causes are:
Traumatic pneumothoraxTraumatic pneumothorax occurs after some type of trauma or injury has happened to the chest or lung wall. It can be a minor or significant injury. The trauma can damage chest structures and cause air to leak into the pleural space. Here are some types of injuries that can cause traumatic pneumothorax:
Quick treatment of pneumothorax due to chest trauma is critical as it can lead to fatal complications like cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, shock, and death. Nontraumatic pneumothoraxThis type of pneumothorax is called spontaneous, as it does not result from trauma. When primary spontaneous pneumothorax happens, there’s no clear reason why it occurs. It’s more likely to happen:
Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax can happen if a person has:
Inhaling drugs like cocaine or marijuana can also trigger it. Tension pneumothoraxTension pneumothorax is not a classification of pneumothorax but a term that reflects the severity of pneumothorax. You may experience it if you have:
The risk factors are different for a traumatic and spontaneous pneumothorax. Risk factors for a traumatic pneumothorax include:
The people at highest risk of a nontraumatic pneumothorax include those who:
Pneumothorax can lead to a number of complications, some of which can be life-threatening. They include:
Tension pneumothorax can quickly progress to:
It’s essential to seek emergency medical help as soon as symptoms arise. Treatment aims to relieve pressure on the lung and allow it to re-expand. The options will depend on:
If you have tension pneumothorax or pneumothorax due to an injury, this is a life-threatening emergency. You’ll need immediate medical care and possibly surgery. Here are some of the treatment strategies: ObservationIf pneumothorax results from a small injury, it may heal without treatment within a few days. Check with a doctor before flying or diving after pneumothorax. If you’re having trouble breathing, you may need oxygen. Using oxygen can also help speed up the rate at which the lungs reabsorb air from the cavity. Draining excess airIf the damage is significant or symptoms are severe, a surgeon may need to remove the air or carry out surgery. Needle aspiration and chest tube insertion are two procedures designed to remove excess air from the pleural space in the chest. These can be done at the bedside without requiring general anesthesia. In needle aspiration, the doctor inserts a needle into the cavity and extracts the air using a syringe. For a chest tube insertion, the doctor will insert a hollowed tube between your ribs. This allows air to drain and the lung to reinflate. The tube may remain in place for 2 to 5 days or longer. SurgeryThe doctor may need to carry out a more invasive procedure to see what’s happening in your lungs, like a thoracotomy or thoracoscopy. During a thoracotomy, your surgeon will create an incision in the pleural space to help them see the problem. During a thoracoscopy, also known as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), the doctor inserts a tiny camera through the chest wall to examine the lung. If you’ve had repeated episodes of pneumothorax, you may need a small operation to repair any weak areas in the lung where the air is getting through. The doctor may also carry out pleurodesis, in which they stick the lung to the inside of the chest wall. Other surgical options include:
These interventions can reduce the risk of pneumothorax happening again. In many cases, a person with pneumothorax will need emergency medical treatment, and emergency doctors will carry out the evaluation and diagnosis. A doctor will look for signs of air in the space around the lungs. They’ll ask about:
They may also carry out imaging tests, like:
Your long-term outlook depends on the size of the pneumothorax, the cause, and any treatment you receive. Most cases of primary spontaneous pneumothorax resolve with observation or minimal treatment. It’s rarely life-threatening. But there’s a 30 percent chance that this type will recur within 5 years, and the risk of recurrence increases each time it happens. It may take longer to recover if:
In around 10% of cases, secondary spontaneous pneumothorax is fatal. The risk is higher if you have HIV or COPD. The risk of this type recurring within 5 years is around 43 percent, and the risk increases each time it happens. Knowing your risk of developing pneumothorax and seeking help as soon as symptoms occur can help prevent severe complications. Pneumothorax is a condition where air collects between the lungs and the chest cavity. In some cases, it’ll go away without treatment. In others, it can be life-threatening. This will depend on the size and cause of the problem. There are different types of pneumothorax. Traumatic pneumothorax can happen if someone has an injury to the chest wall or lungs. Nontraumatic pneumothorax can affect people with COPD and other lung diseases, but it can also affect people without lung disease. Treatment aims to remove the air and re-expand the lungs. In some cases, a surgeon may need to repair the lungs. Pneumothorax can be a life-threatening emergency. Anyone who experiences symptoms, like a sharp, stabbing pain in the chest, should seek immediate medical help. What is it called when lung collapses?A collapsed lung occurs when air escapes from the lung. The air then fills the space outside of the lung between the lung and chest wall. This buildup of air puts pressure on the lung, so it cannot expand as much as it normally does when you take a breath. The medical name of this condition is pneumothorax.
What is a collapsed lung caused by?Causes. Collapsed lung can be caused by an injury to the lung. Injuries can include a gunshot or knife wound to the chest, rib fracture, or certain medical procedures. In some cases, a collapsed lung is caused by air blisters (blebs) that break open, sending air into the space around the lung.
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