Pneumothorax Flashcards

1
Q

What is a pneumothorax?

A

Air in the pleural space, separating the lung from the chest wall.

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2
Q

What are the four causes of a pneumothorax?

A
  • Spontaneous
  • Trauma
  • Iatrogenic
  • Secondary (lung pathology e.g. infection/asthma)
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3
Q

What is the triangle of safety made up of?

A
  • Anterior axillary line
  • Mid axillary line
  • 5th ICS
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4
Q

Where (externally) is the anterior axillary line?

A

Lateral edge of pec major

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5
Q

Where (externally) is the mid axillary line?

A

Lateral edge of lat dorsi

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6
Q

What symptoms may a pneumothorax have?

A
  • Dyspnoea

- Pleuritic chest pain

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7
Q

What is pleuritic chest pain?

A
  • Sharp pain

- Worse on deep inspiration, coughing/sneezing etc.

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8
Q

What will you hear on auscultation and percussion?

A
  • Absent breath sounds

- Hyper resonant percussion

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9
Q

What will you see on observation/palpation?

A
  • Possible tracheal deviation

- Reduced chest expansion

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10
Q

What signs will you see relevant to NEWS readings?

A
  • Tachypnoea
  • Tachycardia
  • Hypoxia
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11
Q

What bloods are important?

A
  • ABG (hypoxia)

- Inflammatory markers (secondary PT)

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12
Q

What will you see on CXR?

A
  • Air in pleural space

- Lung collapse

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13
Q

How would you measure a PT?

A

CXR- Edge of lung to chest wall at level of hilum

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14
Q

What guidelines are used to measure a PT?

A

BTS

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15
Q

Why would you use a CT?

A
  • Smaller patients (only if less time critical)

- To accurately assess size

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16
Q

When would you not treat a PT? What would you do instead?

A
  • If PT is <2cm and NO DYSPNOEA

- Follow up in 2-4 weeks

17
Q

What would you do if the PT is 2cm+ or patient has dyspnoea?

A
  • Aspiration and reassessment (USS guided)

- Chest drain if aspiration fails twice

18
Q

What would you do for a tension PT?

A
  • Insert a large bore cannula
  • Second ICS, mid-clavicular line
  • Above the rib
  • Follow this with a chest drain in the triangle of safety