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not mean that the pneumothorax has gone away however.

DIAGNOSIS

Pneumothorax are diagnosed with a variety of tests. The first and most important diagnostic tool is simply the history and symptoms of the patient. Blood gas analysis is also done, which will often show a reduced amount of oxygen in the blood. X-rays are taken in most cases, which will often show the partially collapsed lung. If the patient is a young, thin, male, smoker, the diagnosis is often quite easy. In cases of secondary pneumothorax, it can be harder to find the cause as the primary lung disease makes the case more complicated.

TREATMENT

Treatment s for pneumothorax depend greatly on the symptoms and severity of the problem. In many cases where the damage is small and localized, it is often acceptable to watch and wait for the lung to heal itself. Many of these smaller holes will resolve on their own.

In cases where there is a lot of air in the pleura space, it is possible to use a small needle to bleed the air out, taking pressure off the lungs and allowing them to fully inflate again. A chest tube can then be placed in the pleural space, allowing air to be bleed off continuously until the lung heals. The chest tube is placed under what is called a "water sealed drainage" which prevents air from entering the chest wall via the tube itself.

Of course, if the pneumothorax is due to another lung condition, it is important to review that issue and see what can be done to improve the primary cause of the damage to the lung.

It is important that a person with a resolving pneumothorax not expose themselves to rapid changes in pressure while it is healing. This means that you should avoid flying, scuba diving or going to high altitudes in a short time.

If treated properly, there are often few long term complications to a primary or secondary spontaneous pneumothorax. Despite this, recurrence is quite high, meaning that if you have one, you are more likely to have another.

Learn more about this author, Erich Rosenberger M.D..
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