Empyema and Pneumothorax Lecture Powerpoint Flashcards
3 types of pneumothorax
- simple
- tension
- spontaneous
Causes of pneumothorax (4)
- penetrating trauma (stabbing)
- blunt trauma (rib fracture)
- barrotrauma (mechanical ventilation positive pressure too high ruptures visceral pleura creating pneumothorax)
- birth (compression of the infant in the birth canal)
Pneumothorax signs and symptoms (6)
- dyspnea
- cough
- shock (typically with tension pneumothorax)
- decreased breath sounds
- hyperresonance
- tracheal deviation
Tension vs simple pneumothorax differentiation
- Tracheal deviation away from side of decreased breath sounds indicates tension
- No tracheal deviation or tracheal deviation toward the side of decreased breath sounds indicates simple
Tension pneumothorax mech of action
- “one way pump” formation from the mechanism by which the pneumothorax was obtained
- With any further air entrance into space, cannot see any air exiting
- compression of mediastinal structures builds shifting mediastinal structures to the contralateral side
Pneumothorax diagnosis (2)
- chest x ray
- CT scan (in cases when not able to see due to anatomic location behind lung tissue for example)
Spontaneous pneumothorax causes (4)
- rupture of subpleural bleb, cyst, or bulla
- elderly with COPD
- tumor
- Neonates
Tension pneumothorax treatment (1)
Decompression with IV catheter (blunt so doesn’t cause sharp damage) into 2nd intercostal space midclavicular line that then remains in
Spontaneous pneumothorax treatment (5)
Depends on size, symptoms, and circumstances:
- observation
- repeated aspirations
- tube thoracostomy
- needle decompression
- thoracotomy
How to measure size of a pneumothorax
Pick a fixed point on the chest wall and measure the distance between the visceral pleura and that fixed point over time to see how it changes
Heimlich valve
1 way valve attached to a chest tube that allows for air to come out but not go back in (so upon inspiration see air hiss out of tube)
3 bottle system
Composed of a reservoir (dry trap) where the patients chest tube drains into to remove pleural fluid/exudate, water seal chamber, and vacuum control chamber that can be adjusted to a level of suctioning from the patient at approx 20mmH2O, used in a chest tube to evacuate a patient and prevent redevelopment of pneumothorax
Spontaneous pneumothorax treatment (3)
- Chemical/mechanical pleurodesis (cause inflammatory response between visceral and parietal pleura to keep them attached often using agents such as erythromycin or rubbing them to irritate the site)
- surgery (open vs thoracoscopy, first typically treated conservatively but has high risk of recurrence as more occur, bilateral requires surgerical intervention)
- Observe in asymptomatic small non expanding cases
Empyema
Infection of purulent fluid in the pleural space, an extension of pleural effusion where there is now the clear fluid has become pus
3 stages of empyema
- exudative (early)
- fibrinopurulent (white membrane)
- organizing (covers entire lung, preventing lung from expanding)