A condition in which air enters the pleural cavity (the space between the layers of the pleura). Symptoms are chest pain or shortness of breath. If air continues to leak, the pneumothorax may grow to produce a tension pneumothorax. This may be life-threatening. Diagnosis is confirmed by chest X-ray. A small pneumothorax may disappear in a few days without treatment. If not, treatment involves removing the air through a tube with a one-way valve.
Pneumothorax |
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