Spontaneous pneumothorax

Definition

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a collection of air or gas in the space between the lungs and the chest that "collapses" the lung and prevents it from inflating completely.

See also: Pneumothorax

Alternative Names

Causes

There are two types of spontaneous pneumothorax:

• Primary spontaneous pneumothorax
• Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax

Spontaneous means there is no traumatic injury to the chest or lung. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax occurs in people without lung disease. It occurs most often in tall, thin, young people.

Sometimes people have a family history of this problem. People who have had one spontaneous pneumothorax are at higher risk of the same thing (on the same side or the other side) occurring again.

Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax occurs in people who have underlying lung disease. The most common lung disease that causes spontaneous pneumothorax is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Other lung diseases associated with spontaneous pneumothorax include:

• Asthma
• Cystic fibrosis
• Interstitial lung disease
• Lung cancer
• Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis

References

Baumann MH, Strange C, Heffner JE, Light R, Kirby TJ, Klein J, et al. Management of spontaneous pneumothorax. Chest. 2001;199:590-602.

Murray J, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000.

Marx J., Hockberger R, Walls R. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2005.