Pneumothorax

Introduction: Pneumothorax

Pneumothorax: Air in the pleural spaces around the lungs. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Pneumothorax is available below.

Symptoms of Pneumothorax

• Sudden pain on one side of the lung
• Sudden shortness of breath
• Sudden chest pain
• Referred shoulder pain
• Referred abdominal pain

See full list of 8 symptoms of Pneumothorax

Medical Textbooks Online about Pneumothorax

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Pneumothorax

• Chest x-ray

Read more about tests for Pneumothorax

Wrongly Diagnosed with Pneumothorax?

• Misdiagnosis of Pneumothorax
• Underlying causes of Pneumothorax (possibly wrongly diagnosed)

Misdiagnosis and Pneumothorax

Pneumothorax or myocardial infarction?: Pneumothorax can occur spontaneously in individuals with known lung disorders such as asthma, COPD, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, but sometimes it can also occur in previously healthy individuals, especially tall thin men who smoke and are between 20 to 40 years of age. The patient presents with chest pain and shortness of breath, tightness in the chest which may mimic myocardial infarction. Truamatic pneumothorax occurs following injuries such as rib fractures, gunshot or stab wounds or certain medical procedures. If untreated pneumothorax may complicate into tension pneumothorax, where air can enter into the pleural cavity but cannot leave and gets trapped . This is a very serious condition and progresses rapidly and proves fatal if not treated quickly. Pneumothorax can heal on its own or may require inserting a needle or chest tube into the pleural cavity to relieve the pressure....read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Pneumothorax

Causes of Pneumothorax

• Punctured lung
• Lung injury
• Fractured rib
• Penetrating chest injury
• Excessively deep breath

See full list of 16 causes of Pneumothorax

More information about causes of Pneumothorax:

• Underlying causes of Pneumothorax
• Pneumothorax as a complication caused by other conditions
• Pneumothorax as a symptom

Treatments for Pneumothorax

• Watchful waiting - small amounts of air are reabsorbed naturally
• Hospitalization - for severe cases
• Chest tube
• Pain medications
• Sealing any wound

See full list of 11 treatments for Pneumothorax

Videos for Pneumothorax

Patient Surveys for Pneumothorax

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Pneumothorax
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Reseach about Pneumothorax

Visit our research pages for current research about Pneumothorax treatments.

Clinical Trials for Pneumothorax

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Pneumothorax include:

• Study of the Disease Process of Lymphangioleiomyomatosis - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Pleural Abrasion Plus Minocycline Versus Apical Pleurectomy for Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Additional Minocycline Pleurodesis After Thoracoscopic Procedures for Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - intrapleural minocycline instillation
• Official Record of Patients Diagnosed With Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)

Read more about Clinical Trials for Pneumothorax

Statistics for Pneumothorax

• Medical statistics for Pneumothorax
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Pneumothorax
• Death and Mortality statistics for Pneumothorax
• Society statistics for Pneumothorax

Types of Pneumothorax

• Iatrogenic pneumothorax - pneumothorax as a complication of medical care or medical procedures.

Read more about Types of Pneumothorax

Stories from Users Related to Pneumothorax

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Pneumothorax, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Definitions of Pneumothorax:

Pneumothorax; abnormal presence of air in the pleural cavity resulting in the collapse of the lung. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Abnormal presence of air in the pleural cavity resulting in the collapse of the lung; may be spontaneous (due to injury to the chest) or induced (as a treatment for tuberculosis) - (Source - WordNet 2.1)