title: Should patients be advised not to fly post thoracentesis?
abstract: Air travel poses a risk to patients with a pneumothorax due to in-flight pressure changes and guidance is available providing advice on air travel in patients with a pneumothorax. Pneumothorax is a recongnised complication of pleural thoracentesis, however chest radiographs have been shown to have limited sensitivity in diagnosing pneumothoraces and small pneumothoraces may not be recognised. There is, therefore a risk post thoracentesis, of exacerbating an unrecognised pneumothorax by air travel. This case outlines the presentation of a 55 year old lady, with a normal chest radiograph after an uncomplicated simple needle aspiration for a pleural effusion, who developed a large pneumothorax during air travel.
authors.affiliation: Nevill Hall Hospital, Brecon Road, Abergavenny NP7 7EG, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Wellington Regional Hospital, Private Bag 7902, Wellington 6242, New Zealand.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Smith
keywords: Pleura; pneumothorax