Chronic tension pneumothorax mimicking tension bullae. Use of video-assisted thoracoscopy for diagnosis.
A 48-year-old patient had a lucent right hemithorax and marked mediastinal shift of unknown duration that appeared on a chest radiograph. He was unchanged symptomatically from his baseline status. Video-assisted thoracoscopy was used to distinguish between tension from a giant bulla and a chronic tension pneumothorax.
Kupferschmid
J P
JP
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital, University Medical Center, Boston, Mass.
Carr
T
T
Fonger
J D
JD
Aldea
G S
GS
Vosburgh
E
E
D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000175:diagnosis; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D014741:Video Recording