The health care provider will listen to your breathing with a stethoscope. If you have a collapsed lung, there are decreased breath sounds or no breath sounds on the affected side. You may also have low blood pressure. A small pneumothorax may go away on its own over time. You may only need oxygen treatment and rest. The provider may use a needle to allow the air to escape from around the lung so it can expand more fully. You may be allowed to go home if you live near the hospital.
If you have a large pneumothorax, a chest tube will be placed between the ribs into the space around the lungs to help drain the air and allow the lung to re-expand. The chest tube may be left in place for several days and you may need to stay in the hospital.
If a small chest tube or flutter valve is used, you may be able to go home. You will need to return to the hospital to have the tube or valve removed.
Lung surgery may be needed to treat collapsed lung or to prevent future episodes. The area where the leak occurred may be repaired. Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax SSP can be caused by a variety of lung diseases and disorders. A traumatic pneumothorax is the result of an impact or injury. Potential causes include blunt trauma or an injury that damages the chest wall and pleural space.
One of the most common ways this occurs is when someone fractures a rib. The sharp points of the broken bone can puncture the chest wall and damage lung tissue. Other causes include sports injuries, car accidents, and puncture or stab wounds. A traumatic pneumothorax can occur even if there is no noticeable wound on the chest.
This is common in people who have experienced a blast trauma from an explosion. Scuba divers have to take precautions when underwater to prevent pneumothorax. When divers breathe from a compressed air tank, they experience different levels of pressure from the water and the air itself. The force of these different pressures can cause damage to the lungs, which may take the form of a pneumothorax. Certain medical procedures may also lead to traumatic pneumothorax.
Inserting a catheter into a vein in the chest or taking a sample of lung tissue may lead to a pneumothorax. Doctors will often monitor people after these procedures to catch any early signs that may need treatment. Any of these types of pneumothorax can turn into a tension pneumothorax. This is caused by a leak in the pleural space that resembles a one-way valve.
As a person inhales, the air leaks into the pleural space and becomes trapped. It cannot be released during an exhale. This process leads to increased air pressure in the pleural space that is life-threatening and needs immediate treatment. Symptoms of pneumothorax may hardly be noticeable at first and can be confused with other disorders.
Some cases of pneumothorax have almost no symptoms. These can only be diagnosed with an X-ray or another type of scan. Others require emergency medical attention. Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take. Call anytime you think you may need emergency care.
For example, call if:. Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:. Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if:. Author: Healthwise Staff. Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.
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Top of the page. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Collapsed and normal lung Open pop-up dialog box Close. Collapsed and normal lung In a collapsed lung, air from the lung leaks into the chest cavity.
Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Ferri FF. Pneumothorax, spontaneous. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Elsevier; Accessed Feb. Weinberger SE, et al.
Pleural disease. In: Principles of Pulmonary Medicine. Tintinalli JE, et al. McGraw-Hill;
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