PNEUMOTHORAX- DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Abstract

Introduction: Pneumothorax is defined as the presence of air in the pleural cavity, ie, the space between the chest wall and the lung itself. Pneumothorax is classified ethiologically into spontaneous pneumothorax and traumatic pneumothorax. Spontaneous pneumothorax is further classified into primary and secondary. Traumatic pneumothorax may result from either blunt trauma or penetrating injury to the chest wall. It can also be caused by iatrogenic injuries. Spontaneous pneumothorax is a significant health problem because of the high recurrence rate (this is so called recurrent pneumothorax). The aim of the study: the review of modern diagnosis and surgical management of pneumothorax Methodology: This is a review article. We used Medline and Pubmed databasis for retrieving the literature. Conclusion: Pneumothorax, either spontaneous or traumatic, demands urgent intervention in order to normalize lung function and save life of the patient.