PNEUMOTHORAX

Question 1

PNEUMOTHORAX

Answer 1

Occurs when the parietal or visceral pleura is breached and the pleural space is exposed to positive atmospheric pressure. As a result, air enters the pleural space, and the lung or a portion of it collapses.

Question 2

TYPES OF PNEUMOTHORAX

Answer 2

• SPONTANEOUS: popped bullea in COPD pts
• SIMPLE
• TRAUMATIC
• TENSION
  — Life Threatening

Question 3

PNEUMOTHORAX CLINCIAL MANIFESTATIONS

Answer 3

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SIZE
- Pleuritic pain (pleurisy)
- Respiratory distress
- Tachypnea
- Dyspnea
- Anxious
- Use of accessory muscles
- Hypoxemia
— Assess tracheal alignment, breath sounds, expansion of chest

Question 4

PNEUMOTHORAX MEDICAL MANAGEMENT

Answer 4

• Evacuation of air or blood from pleural space
• Chest tube insertion

Question 5

Chest Tubes

Answer 5

Drain placed into the pleural space to:
- Drain air, blood or fluid
- Restore intrapleural pressure
- Allow expansion of the lung
- Prevents air and fluid from returning to the lung
- water seal chamber: reestablishes negative pressure
- 2 cm water in water chamber
- dry suction (- 20) on suction control chamber; low continuous suction on wall
- wet suction: 20 cm in suction chamber “gentle bubbling” in chamber 3
- bubbling in water seal = air leak

Question 6

MANAGEMENT OF PNEUMOTHORAX (OPEN OR CLOSED) INSERTION OF CHEST TUBE

Answer 6

Question 7

Chest Tube Chambers

Answer 7

• Chamber 1=drainage collection
• Chamber 2=water seal to prevent air from entering patient’s pleural space
• Chamber 3= Suction Control of the system

Question 8

Chest Tube Drainage System

Answer 8

• Chest drainage systems have:
  — A collection chamber for pleural drainage
  — And a mechanism to prevent air from reentering the chest with inhalation
  — A suction source
  -
• Used in removal of air and fluid from the pleural space and re-expansion of the lungs
• Wet (water seal) or dry suction control