Tag : SPONTANEOUS PNEUMOTHORAX

Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) is defined as the existence of air in the pleural space without a precipitating external event. It can be further classified into either primary or secondary based on the presence or absence of pre-existing lung diseases. SP accounts for at least 1,000 hospital admissions per year in Hong Kong. Many patients with SP present to the emergency departments. Traditionally, considerations for intervention rest primarily on the size of pneumothorax and presence of dyspnea. There has been hardly any high-powered clinical studies on SP as the recruitment processes are remarkably difficult, given the emergency nature and acute presentation of many SP. Recently, the results of several practice-changing clinical trials on SP have been published, including new data on the ambulatory devices supporting its selective utilization in clinical practice. In an interview with Omnihealth Practice, Dr. Lui, Mei-Sze Macy presented some new data on the management of SP including the use of ambulatory devices and shared a case of secondary SP which resolved well without any complications after using one of such devices.