Pheumothorax

General characteristic of a disease

Pheumothorax is understood as accumulation of air in a pleural cavity. Distinguish two forms of a disease: open pheumothorax at which first aid has to be given immediately, and the closed pheumothorax. Treatment of the last is carried out in the conditions of a hospital. At an open form air gets to a pleural cavity from the outside. Similar situations, as a rule, develop at disturbance of integrity of a thorax. The closed pheumothorax is connected with intake of air from within (at slight injuries or pleurae).

Let's notice that today the greatest distribution was gained by spontaneous pheumothorax. It is not connected with mechanical injuries of a thorax in any way and arises in an organism owing to injuries or as a complication at medical influences.

Pheumothorax – causes of illness

• the closed thorax injuries – ruptures of lungs or bronchial tubes, disturbance of integrity of a lung fragments of edges;
• iatrogenic damages – arise at incorrectly carried out blockade of an intercostal nerve, attempt of catheterization of a subclavial vein, acupuncture of a star-shaped ganglion and slight other injuries;
• open pheumothorax is caused by the getting wounds of a chest cavity with damage of integrity of lungs;
• nonspecific pheumothorax – a consequence of break of abscess of an easy, spontaneous rupture of a gullet, regional increase in intra alveolar pressure;
• the rupture of a cavity and breaks of the caseous centers lead to tubercular pheumothorax.

In certain cases intake of air in a pleural cavity is provided in the artificial way. Need for it arises, for example, at differential diagnosis of a chest wall or torakoskopiya.

Pheumothorax – disease symptoms

• asthma, the stethalgia increasing at deep breath;
• at survey of a wound the characteristic sound of prisasyvayushchy air is heard;
• the considerable aggravation of symptoms of the person, the complicated breath, the person gets a cyanotic shade;
• asymmetric movements of a thorax;
• open pheumothorax is followed by the most severe pains therefore the wounded usually lays down on the right side and presses hands to a wound;
• swelling of cervical veins, bystry, but low pulse, arterial hypotension and other disturbances of blood circulation.

Pheumothorax – treatment and forecasts

The help at pheumothorax has to be immediate as human life depends on it. Especially it concerns those cases when air gets to a pleural cavity from the outside. Open pheumothorax is required urgent transfer in the closed form. For this purpose to the patient apply occlusive provisional bandage. In the absence of special medical materials as a bandage it is possible to use several layers of a usual gauze over which the oilcloth or compresseal paper is imposed. After delivery of the patient carry urgently out to a hospital: drainage of a pleural cavity, thoracotomy, audit of a lung and surgical treatment of a wound.

Spontaneous pheumothorax which reasons are not connected with mechanical injuries of a thorax in any way also belongs to life-threatening states and demands obligatory hospitalization of the patient. If the disease proceeds without pronounced disturbances of respiratory function, the help at pheumothorax consists in observance of a bed rest and restriction of freedom of movement. At cough to the patient appoint antibechics.

In all other cases more active tactics is applied. To the patient appoint cardiac glycosides, inhalations by oxygen, a puncture of a pleural cavity for removal of liquid and air. If these actions do not promote positive dynamics, doctors are forced to resort to an operative measure. Surgical treatment means sewing up of the wound formed in a lung, removal of a parietal pleva, the reservation patholologically of the changed fabrics. If spontaneous pheumothorax is followed by infectious genesis, to the patient in addition appoint antibacterial treatment.

For prevention of a recurrence of a disease preventive actions during which to the patient enter the irritating substances into a pleural cavity (glucose, silver nitrate solution, talc) are used.

Pheumothorax which treatment was carried out quickly and with respect for the fundamental principles, in most cases does not cause irreversible effects, that is, the person remains able-bodied and keeps high quality of life. At secondary pheumothorax and heavy disease the forecast is defined proceeding from set of all significant factors, in particular, of character and weight of a basic disease.