Bilateral tension pneumothorax.
The report discusses three patients who presented with pulseless electrical activity (PEA), caused by chronic respiratory disease, with bilateral tension pneumothorax. In each case needle decompression failed to relieve the tension and cardiac output was restored only after the insertion of a chest tube.
Castle
Nick
N
A&E Frimley Park Hospital, Portsmouth Road Camberley, Surrey, UK. nicholas.castle@fph-tr.nhs.uk
Tagg
Andrew
A
Owen
Robert
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications*; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome