Diagnostic Tests
 Thoracic CT: detects thoracic injuries,
lung contusion, hemothorax, and
pneumothorax.
 Chest x-ray: Reveals air and/or fluid
accumulation in the pleural space; may
show shift of mediastinal structures.
 Arterial Blood Gas test: variable
depending on the degree of compro-
mised lung function, altered breathing
mechanics, and oxygen saturation.
Management
 Chest tube. A small chest tube is inserted
near the second intercostal space to drain
the fluid and air.
 Maintain a closed chest drainage system.
 Monitor a chest tube unit for any kinks or
bubbling. These could indicate an air leak,
but do not clamp a chest tube without a
physician’s order because clamping may
lead to tension pneumothorax.
 Autotransfusion involves taking the patient’s
own blood that has been drained from the
chest, filtering it, and then transfusing it
back into the vascular system.
 Antibiotics. Antibiotics are usually
prescribed to combat infection from
contamination.
 Oxygen therapy. The patient with possible
tension pneumothorax should immediately
be given a high concentration of
supplemental oxygen to treat the
hypoxemia.
PNEUMOTHORAX CONCEPT MAP
PNEUMOTHORAX
SYMPTOMS
 Pleuratic Pain
 Increase in RR
 Dyspnea
 Asymmetry of chest wall
 Trachea deviated to the
affected side
 Hyperresonant
 V breath sound at the
affected side
 Mediasternal structure
shift to unaffected side
Definition
Presence of air or gas in the
cavity between the lungs and
the chest wall, causing collapse
of the lung.
TRAUMATIC PNEUMOTHORAX
Traumatic Pneumothorax
occurs after some type of
trauma or injury has
happened to the chest or
lung wall.
Examples of injuries include:
TYPES
 A stab wound or
bullet wound to the
chest.
 Broken ribs
NON-TRAUMATIC PNEUMOTHORAX
Primary Secondary
Spontaneous Spontaneous
Pneumothorax Pneumothorax
 Abnormal accumulation of Occurs in people with a wide
air in the space between variety of parenchymal lung
the lungs and the chest diseases. These individuals
cavity that can result to have underlying pulmonary
partial or complete collapse pathology that alters normal
of a lung. lung structure. Air enters the
 Occurs in people who have pleural space via distended,
no known lung disease. damaged or compromised
alveoli.