Pulmonary Overinflation Syndrome

Question 1

What occurs when gas is forced through torn lung tissue into the loose mediastinal tissues in the middle of the chest surrounding the heart, trachea, and major vessels?

Answer 1

Pulmonary Over Inflation Syndrome

Question 2

What are the symptoms of Mediastinal Emphysema?

Answer 2

1) Pain under the breast bone (Mediastinal Pain)
2) Pain that radiates to shoulder/back (Referred pain)
3) Fullness around the neck
4) Difficulty swallowing
5) Change in voice
6) Crepitus (cracking or crunching sound) to palpation around the trachea

Question 3

1) Pain under the breast bone (Mediastinal Pain)
2) Pain that radiates to shoulder/back
3) Fullness around the neck
4) Difficulty swallowing
5) Change in voice
6) Crepitus (cracking or crunching sound) to palpation around the trachea

What is your treatment?

Answer 3

1) Full Neuro Exam
2) Cardio/Lung exam
3) 100% Surface Oxygen
4) Shallow Recompression to 5-10 FSW until symptoms resolve

Question 4

1) What occurs when gas is forced through torn lung tissue into the loose mediastinal tissues?
2) What occurs when air leaking from the tissues of the lungs into the space between the lungs and chest wall?

Answer 4

1) Pulmonary Over Inflation Syndrome

2) Pneumothorax

Question 5

Which type of pneumothorax effects cardiac function?

Answer 5

Tension Pneumothorax

Question 6

1) Sudden, sharp chest pain
2) Shortness of breath
3) Labored breathing
4) Rapid heart rate
5) Weak pulse
6) Anxiety (impending doom) *

Answer 6

Pneumothorax

Question 7

1) Sudden, sharp chest pain
2) Shortness of breath
3) Labored breathing
4) Rapid heart rate
5) Weak pulse
6) Anxiety (impending doom)

What is your treatment?

Answer 7

1) Heart/Lung Exam
2) 100% O2
3) Needle-decompression or chest tube