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Pneumothorax, Pediatric

Richard M. Kravitz, MD Reviewed 10/2018
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

Abnormal collection of free air or gas in the pleural space 

EPIDEMIOLOGY

Depends on the underlying lung disease 

Incidence

  • Spontaneous pneumothorax

    • Male > female (1.4 to 10.1:1)

    • Peak i...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • May be asymptomatic (pneumothorax discovered on chest film obtained for other reasons)

  • Cough

  • Shortness of breath

  • Dyspnea

  • Pleuritic chest pain that is usually sudden in onset and localized...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Stabilization of the patient

  • Evacuation of the pleural air

    • Should be done urgently if a tension pneumothorax is suspected

    • In small asymptomatic pneumothoraces, observation of th...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Symptomatic relief within seconds of the air being evacuated 

Patient Monitoring

Sign to watch for: inability to remove the chest tube without reaccumulation of air...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Baumann MH. Management of spontaneous pneumothorax. Clin Chest Med.  2006;27(2):369–381. [View Abstract on OvidInsights]

  • Briassoulis GC, Venkataraman ST, Vasilopoulos AG, et al....

CODES

ICD9

  • 512.89 Other pneumothorax

  • 512.81 Primary spontaneous pneumothorax

  • 860.0 Traumatic pneumothorax without mention of open wound into thorax

  • 512.0 Spontaneous tension pneumothorax

  • 512.1 Iatrogenic p...

FAQ

  • Q: Can a pneumothorax reoccur?

  • A: Reoccurrence depends on the underlying cause of the pneumothorax. Spontaneous pneumothorax reoccurrence rates:

    • Observation alone: 20–50%

    • If thoracentesis performed: ...

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