title: Management of pneumothorax.
abstract: Pneumothoraces are classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and iatrogenic. Spontaneous pneumothoraces (SPs) occur without recognized lung disease [primary spontaneous pneumothoraces (PSPs)] or due to an underlying lung disease [secondary spontaneous pneumothoraces (SSPs)]. Treatment of PSPs and SSPs has been heterogeneous in the United States. This heterogeneity in management is likely due in part to the fact that the American College of Chest Physicians guidelines and the British Thoracic Society guidelines differ on some management recommendations, including recommendations that pertain to simple aspiration. Traumatic pneumothoraces due to penetrating or nonpenetrating (blunt) trauma usually require the placement of a larger-bore chest tube. Iatrogenic pneumothoraces, most commonly due to transthoracic needle aspiration, may be treated in carefully selected patients with observation. The presence of underlying emphysema in the setting of an iatrogenic pneumothorax usually mandates placement of a drainage catheter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi 39216, USA. dhaynes@umc.edu
authors.forename: Demondes
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haynes
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Baumann
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D015505:Chest Tubes; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications