Presentation
A patient with known bullous emphysema presented with sudden onset of shortness of breath and pleuritic pain on waking. On auscultation he had reduced air entry on the left.
Patient Data
Large left-sided pneumothorax with 30 mm displacement of the pleura at the left lung apex. Associated partial left lung collapse. No pleural effusion. The right lung is clear. No displaced rib fracture. Otherwise normal.
Interval placement of left-sided pigtail intercostal catheter - the tip projects over the lateral left upper pleural space.
Significant decrease in size of left-sided pneumothorax, now measuring 12 mm at the left lung apex. Associated left lung re-expansion.
Minor left basal linear subsegmental atelectasis. The right lung is clear.
Case Discussion
Pneumothorax describes free air within the pleural space. This is a case of symptomatic secondary spontaneous pneumothorax in a patient with known bullous emphysema, treated by insertion of an intercostal catheter.
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