What happens if you collapse a lung

Traumatic pneumothorax occurs after some type of trauma or injury has happened to the chest or lung wall. It can be a minor or significant injury. The trauma can damage chest structures and cause air to leak into the pleural space.

Quick treatment of pneumothorax due to chest trauma is critical as it can lead to fatal complications like cardiac arrest , respiratory failure , shock , and death. Tension pneumothorax is not a classification of pneumothorax but a term that reflects the severity of pneumothorax.

You may experience it if you have:. The risk factors are different for a traumatic and spontaneous pneumothorax. The options will depend on:. If you have tension pneumothorax or pneumothorax due to an injury, this is a life-threatening emergency.

If pneumothorax results from a small injury, it may heal without treatment within a few days. Check with a doctor before flying or diving after pneumothorax. Using oxygen can also help speed up the rate at which the lungs reabsorb air from the cavity. If the damage is significant or symptoms are severe, a surgeon may need to remove the air or carry out surgery.

Needle aspiration and chest tube insertion are two procedures designed to remove excess air from the pleural space in the chest. These can be done at the bedside without requiring general anesthesia.

In needle aspiration, the doctor inserts a needle into the cavity and extracts the air using a syringe. For a chest tube insertion, the doctor will insert a hollowed tube between your ribs. This allows air to drain and the lung to reinflate. The tube may remain in place for 2 to 5 days or longer.

During a thoracotomy, your surgeon will create an incision in the pleural space to help them see the problem.

During a thoracoscopy, also known as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery VATS , the doctor inserts a tiny camera through the chest wall to examine the lung. People with a small pneumothorax might not have any symptoms. They might find out that they have it when they have a chest X-ray for another reason.

Your doctor or nurse will ask about your symptoms, do an exam, and do a chest x-ray. He or she might also do a CT scan. A CT scan is an imaging test. It creates pictures of the inside of your body to better check your lungs and surrounding organs. Your treatment will depend on your symptoms and how small or large the pocket of air outside your lungs are.

During thoracoscopy, the doctor will give you medicine to make you sleep. Then he or she will make 2 or 3 small cuts between the ribs in your chest. He or she will put long, thin tools in these openings and into the space where the air collected. One of the tools has a camera on the end, which sends pictures to a TV screen. The doctor can look at the image on the screen to do the surgery. If you need surgery to treat your condition, your doctor might do another procedure at the same time.

These two procedures can help prevent a future pneumothorax. After surgery you will have a chest tube placed. It will stay in for several days to a week, depending on your healing process. Following standard procedure can reduce the risk of a pneumothorax when scuba diving. You can decrease your risk by not smoking. Scuba diving and dysbarism.

Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Hallifax R, Rahman NM. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. Raja AS. Thoracic trauma. Editorial team.

Collapsed lung pneumothorax. The medical name of this condition is pneumothorax. Tall, thin people and smokers are more at risk for a collapsed lung. Lung diseases can also increase the chance of getting a collapsed lung. It may heal with rest, although your doctor will want to keep track of your progress.

It can take several days for the lung to expand again. Your doctor may have drained the air with a needle or tube inserted into the space between your chest and the collapsed lung.

If you have a chest tube, be sure to follow your doctor's instructions about how to care for the tube. You may need further treatment if you are not getting better. Surgery is sometimes needed to keep the lung inflated. The doctor will want to keep track of your progress, so you will need a follow-up examination within a few days. The doctor has checked you carefully, but problems can develop later. If you notice any problems or new symptoms, get medical treatment right away.

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.