Pneumothorax pleurodesis: what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Written by Han Shun Li

Pulmonology

Updated on September 03, 2024

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Pleurodesis for pneumothorax involves injecting a sclerosant into the pleural cavity to induce a sterile inflammation, causing adhesion of the parietal and visceral pleurae, thereby eliminating the pleural space. This can be used to treat pneumothorax. The benefits include a high success rate, simple operation, and low recurrence rate. The downside is that there can be adverse reactions, the most common being chest pain and fever; severe cases may cause acute respiratory distress syndrome. Therefore, extra care is needed during the pleurodesis procedure.

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Written by Li Tao

Pulmonology

42sec

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Pneumothorax is what disease?

Pneumothorax refers to the condition where gas enters the pleural cavity. Normally, the pleural cavity is a sealed space formed by the visceral pleura covering the lung surface and the parietal pleura on the chest wall. When gas enters the pleural cavity due to some reason, causing a state of gas accumulation, it is called pneumothorax. The causes of pneumothorax can be diseases of the lungs themselves or gas produced after the lungs and chest wall are injured by external forces. Typically, the condition occurs when the pleura near the lung surface ruptures, allowing gas to enter the pleural cavity, which is referred to as pneumothorax.

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Written by Li Tao

Pulmonology

49sec

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What are the symptoms of pneumothorax?

Pneumothorax refers to the accumulation of air that occurs when air enters the pleural cavity, a closed space, which is known as pneumothorax. The most common clinical manifestations of pneumothorax depend on the speed of onset, the degree of lung compression, and the etiology of the primary disease causing the pneumothorax. Typically, patients may experience a high level of mental tension, fear, restlessness, shortness of breath, and a feeling of suffocation. Some individuals may sweat, have an increased pulse rate, with the most prominent symptom being difficulty in breathing. Additionally, some patients may experience coughing and chest pain, and some may develop mediastinal emphysema, leading to gradually worsening respiratory difficulties, and even manifestations of shock such as a drop in blood pressure.

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Written by Han Shun Li

Pulmonology

55sec

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Is pneumothorax the same as emphysema?

Pneumothorax and emphysema can both manifest symptoms such as chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and coughing. However, is pneumothorax the same as emphysema? Pneumothorax and emphysema are two different diseases. Simply put, pneumothorax is a pleural disease caused by a rupture of the pleura, while emphysema is a disease of the airways. When a lung is imaged for pneumothorax, the film shows lung compression. It is possible to see the external boundary of the compressed lung where pneumothorax is present, with no lung markings. In the case of emphysema, imaging shows that the thoracic cage is expanded, with widened intercostal spaces, and increased translucency in both lung lobes. Therefore, the differences between pneumothorax and emphysema are significant, and they are not the same disease.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

57sec

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What department should I go to for pneumothorax?

What department is pneumothorax treated in? For pneumothorax, we commonly see patients first in the emergency department, as the onset of pneumothorax is generally very sudden and the condition can be quite severe. The patient may suddenly experience difficulty breathing, and in most cases, this breathing difficulty is severe. Therefore, patients typically start by seeing the emergency internal medicine department. The doctors there will assess the patient’s condition and will consult with thoracic and cardiovascular surgery and respiratory medicine. If a closed thoracic drainage tube is needed, our surgeons will immediately perform the drainage. If the patient can be treated conservatively, they are usually then transferred to either respiratory medicine or thoracic and cardiovascular surgery for further treatment.

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Written by Han Shun Li

Pulmonology

45sec

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Spontaneous pneumothorax and the difference between pneumothorax.

Simply put, spontaneous pneumothorax is a type of pneumothorax. In the classification of pneumothorax, besides spontaneous pneumothorax, there are also traumatic pneumothorax and iatrogenic pneumothorax. Traumatic pneumothorax is caused by direct or indirect injury to the chest wall, while iatrogenic pneumothorax occurs during medical diagnosis and treatment. Spontaneous pneumothorax often involves underlying lung diseases, such as emphysema, lung bullae, tuberculosis, lung cancer, and pneumoconiosis. It can also occur in healthy individuals without obvious lung abnormalities, typically seen in tall, thin males of young to middle age.