Tension Pneumothorax Quiz
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Reviewed By:
Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency department)
Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Eisaku Kamakura, MD (Respiratory medicine)
Dr. Kamakura graduated from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Dentistry, and the Niigata University School of Medicine. He trained at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital and held positions in the Respiratory Medicine departments at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Ome City General Hospital, and Musashino Red Cross Hospital. In 2021, he became the specially appointed assistant professor at the Department of General Medicine, Niigata University School of Medicine.
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Shortness of breath when lying down
Breathing out is easy but breathing in is difficult
Chest pain on left side
Wake up in the middle of the night with shortness of breath
Feeling that I am suffocating and will die from the breathlessness
Tight feeling in the chest
Shortness of breath in the morning
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Learn more about Tension pneumothorax
Content updated on Sep 20, 2022
What is tension pneumothorax?
A pneumothorax is the leakage of air from the lungs into the space around the lungs and heart. In a tension pneumothorax, this pressure builds up and can cause life-threatening blood flow problems in the heart and lungs. Risk factors include smoking, emphysema, and genetic diseases.
Symptoms of tension pneumothorax
Feeling breathless
Chest pain
Pain across my entire chest
Back pain
Cold sweats
Left-sided chest pain
Questions your doctor may ask to check for tension pneumothorax
Your doctor may ask these questions to diagnose tension pneumothorax
Are you breathless or having hard time breathing?
Do you have any chest pain?
Do you have pain over your entire chest?
Do you have back pain?
Do you have cold sweats?
Treatment for tension pneumothorax
Emergency medical care is required. A needle or tube is placed in the chest to release the excess air and pressure. In recurrent cases, a procedure or surgery may be performed to permanently seal the air leak.
View the symptoms of Tension pneumothorax
Diseases related to Tension pneumothorax
References
Roberts DJ, Leigh-Smith S, Faris PD, Blackmore C, Ball CG, Robertson HL, Dixon E, James MT, Kirkpatrick AW, Kortbeek JB, Stelfox HT. Clinical Presentation of Patients With Tension Pneumothorax: A Systematic Review. Ann Surg. 2015 Jun;261(6):1068-78. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001073. PMID: 25563887.
https://journals.lww.com/annalsofsurgery/Fulltext/2015/06000/Clinical_Presentation_of_Patients_With_Tension.9.aspx
Bethel J. Tension pneumothorax. Emerg Nurse. 2008 Jul;16(4):26-9. doi: 10.7748/en2008.07.16.4.26.c6606. PMID: 18672788.
https://rcnpublishing.com/doi/abs/10.7748/en2008.07.16.4.26.c6606
Barton ED. Tension pneumothorax. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 1999 Jul;5(4):269-74. doi: 10.1097/00063198-199907000-00016. PMID: 10407699.
https://journals.lww.com/co-pulmonarymedicine/Abstract/1999/07000/Tension_pneumothorax.16.aspx
Sukumar SM. An atypical tension pneumothorax. Clin Med (Lond). 2020 Mar;20(Suppl 2):s52. doi: 10.7861/clinmed.20-2-s52. PMID: 32409372; PMCID: PMC7243505.
https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/20/Suppl_2/s52
User testimonials
Reviewed By:
Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency department)
Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Eisaku Kamakura, MD (Respiratory medicine)
Dr. Kamakura graduated from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Dentistry, and the Niigata University School of Medicine. He trained at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital and held positions in the Respiratory Medicine departments at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Ome City General Hospital, and Musashino Red Cross Hospital. In 2021, he became the specially appointed assistant professor at the Department of General Medicine, Niigata University School of Medicine.
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Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vascular surgery
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Associates
