Pneumothorax occurs when air, which should have been inside the lung, can escape into the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall, when this occurs, the air exerts pressure on the lung, causing it to collapse and for this reason, It is It is common to experience severe breathing difficulties, chest pain, and coughing.
Pneumothorax usually occurs after trauma, especially when there is a cut in the chest cavity or after a traffic accident, but it can also occur as a result of chronic illness or even
- As it can severely affect breathing and even impair the functioning of the heart.
- Whenever a pneumotrax is suspected it is very important to go to the hospital immediately to confirm the diagnosis and initiate proper treatment.
- Avoiding complications.
The most common symptoms of pneumotrax include
Initially, symptoms may be more difficult to identify and, as a result, it is common for pneumotrax to identify only at a later stage.
These symptoms may also be present in other respiratory problems and should therefore always be evaluated by a pneumologist.
In most cases, the pneumothorax can be identified by a chest x-ray and evaluation of symptoms; however, the doctor may also order other additional tests, such as a CT scan or ultrasound, to identify more details that help. to adjust treatment.
There are several causes that can trigger pneumotrax. Then, depending on the cause, pneumotrax can be divided into four main types:
It occurs in people with no history of lung disease and no other apparent cause, being more common in smokers and in people with other cases of pneumothorax in the family.
In addition, tall people or people age 15 to 34 also appear to be more likely to develop this type of pneumotrax.
Secondary pneumotrax occurs as a complication of another disease, usually a previous respiratory problem.The most common types of lung disease as a cause of pneumotralx include COPD, cystic fibrosis, severe asthma, lung infections and pulmonary fibrosis.
Other diseases that can also cause pneumothorax but are not directly related to the lung are rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis or dermatomyositis, for example.
It is perhaps the most common type of pneumotrox that occurs when trauma occurs in the chest area, due to deep cuts, broken ribs, or traffic accidents, for example.
In addition, people who dive may also have this type of pneumotrax, especially if they rise to the surface very quickly, due to pressure differences.
It is one of the most serious forms of pneumothorax, in which air passes from the lung into the pleural space and cannot return to the lung, gradually accumulating and causing intense pressure on the lung.
In this type, it is possible that the symptoms get worse very quickly, it is urgent to go to the hospital to start treatment.
The main goal of treatment is to remove excess accumulated air, relieve pressure on the lung and allow it to expand again, so air is usually sucked in with a needle inserted between the ribs so that air can leave the body.
Subsequently, the person should be under observation to evaluate whether the pneumotrax reappears, performing periodic examinations, if it reappears it may be necessary to undergo surgery to place a tube that sucks air constantly or to correct any alterations in the lung that cause air to accumulate in the pleural space.
In addition, it is also important to identify the correct cause of the pneumothorax to find out if more specific treatment is needed for the cause, in order to prevent the pneumothorax from recurring.