Respiratory & Sleep Medicine\ Pneumothorax Flashcards
1
Q
What is a primary pneumothorax?
A
A pneumothorax without a precipitating event in patients who do not have lung disease
2
Q
What is the pathophysiology of a primary pneumothorax?
A
Rupture of a subpleural bleb
3
Q
What are risk factors for primary pneumothoraces?
A
- Smoking
- family history
- Marfan syndrome
- homocystinuria
- thoracic endometriosis
4
Q
What are the clinical manifestations of a pneumothorax?
A
- Sudden onset of dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain
- diminished breath sounds on the affected side
- hyperresonance to percussion
- subcutaneous emphysema
- hypoxemia
5
Q
What findings on chest x-ray are indicative of a pneumothorax?
A
- White visceral pleural line
- lack of pulmonary vascular markings beyond the visceral pleural edge
6
Q
What is the treatment for a stable patient with a small pneumothorax (<2-3 cm between the lung and the chest wall on chest x-ray)?
A
Supplemental oxygen
7
Q
What is the treatment for a larger pneumothorax?
A
Needle aspiration or chest tube insertion
8
Q
A
