title: Evaluation of neonatal pneumothorax.
abstract: Pneumothorax progresses quickly in newborns and can lead to death. This study collected data prospectively over a 2-year period on risk factors, clinical course and prognostic factors of newborn cases diagnosed and treated for pneumothorax. Thirty patients were evaluated for risk factors  including concurrent disease, method and duration of chest drainage, oxygen saturation and mechanical ventilation. Pneumothorax developed mostly in male and mature infants during the first 48 h following birth; risk factors included concurrent respiratory distress syndrome and meconium aspiration.  Mechanical ventilation was undertaken in 18 (60%) of the patients. Closed-tube drainage was used in 28 (93%) of the patients. Nine out of 10 patients (90%) whose oxygen saturation remained < 90% died. Thus, pneumothorax may develop during the neonatal period, especially in the presence  of risk factors, and neonates with < 90% oxygen saturation, despite treatment, have a high mortality rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Selcuk University, Meram Medical Faculty, Beysehir Cad. 42090 Konya, Turkey. bapiliogullari@yahoo.com
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Apiliogullari
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Sunam
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ceran
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koc
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology