Collasped Lung Flashcards
How does a collapsed lung occur?
A significant amount of air or fluid enters the perusal cavity, the surface tension adhering the visceral and parietal pleura is broken and pleural cavity becomes real space instead of potential space causing the lung to collapse due to the elastic nature of the lung tissue
What is a common cause of a collapsed lung?
A puncture wound to the thorax e.g. stabbing injury to a gunshot wound.
Describe a hydrothorax
Accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity that may result in pleural effusion (escape of fluid into the pleural cavity)
What is a pneumothorax?
When air rushes into the pleural cavity
Describe a spontaneous pneumothorax
When a Bullae (an air pocket) forms on the surface of the lungs and breaks it creates a large hole in the visceral pleura and air goes directly into the pleural space
How do bullaes form?
Develop on the alveoli’s when there is a tiny leak and air seeps into the surrounding lung tissue
What is a primary pneumothorax?
Develops in the Absence of an underling condition
Secondary pneumothorax?
Develops from an underlying condition e.g marfans syndrome, cystic fibrosis, emphysema or lung cancer
What is traumatic pneumothorax?
When a trauma like a gunshot wound rips through the parietal pleura allowing air from the outside to enter the pleura space
Tension pneumothorax?
It creates a one way valve for air flow into the pleural space, the air cannot wave as it doesn’t have a flap of tissue for air to travel the other way. Overtime air will build up increasing the pressure and will compress on the heart and lung and even shifts the trachea. Can prevent the heart from filling up reduced the cardiac output
What are the symptoms of a pneumothorax?
Shortness of breath and chest pain
What are the signs of a pneumothorax?
Reduced breath sounds and hyperresonant (sounds that are louder)
How is a tension pneumothorax treated?
Inserting a needle or a chest tube and proving an escape route to the air
What is a haemothorax?
When blood enters the pleural cavity, usually as a result of a major injury to the intercostal vessel (usually by a fractured rib than a laceration to the lung)
How can you re-inflate the lung?
Fluid must be drained from the pleural cavity using a chest drain
