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In contrast, tension pneumothorax is a medical emergency and may be treated before imaging – especially if there is severe hypoxia, very low blood pressure, or an impaired level of consciousness. In tension pneumothorax, X-rays are sometimes required if there is doubt about the anatomical location of the pneumothorax. [16] [18]
Pneumothorax: a collection of air within the pleural cavity, arising either from the outside or from the lung. Pneumothoraces may be traumatic, iatrogenic , or spontaneous. A tension pneumothorax is a particular type of pneumothorax where the air may enter (though a defect of the chest wall, lung, or airways) on inspiration, but cannot exit on ...
Tension pneumothorax is the build-up of air into one of the pleural cavities, which causes a mediastinal shift. When this happens, the great vessels (particularly the superior vena cava ) become kinked, which limits blood return to the heart .
Left-sided tension pneumothorax. Note the area without lung markings which is air in the pleural space. Also note the tracheal and mediastinal shift from the patient's left to right. Causes include any obstruction of blood flow to and from the heart. There are multiple, including pulmonary embolism, cardiac tamponade, and tension pneumothorax.
A tension pneumothorax is a particularly severe form of this condition where the air in the pleural cavity cannot escape, so the pneumothorax keeps getting bigger until it compresses the heart and blood vessels, leading to a life-threatening situation.
Obstructive shock can occur in the setting of tension pneumothorax and cardiac tamponade. These etiologies should be uncovered in the primary survey. [ 3 ] In the setting of head or neck trauma, an inadequate sympathetic response, or neurogenic shock, is a type of distributive shock that is caused by a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance ...
Left tension pneumothorax with a large, well-demarcated area devoid of lung markings with tracheal deviation and movement of the heart away from the affected side. Mediastinal shift is an abnormal movement of the mediastinal structures toward one side of the chest cavity .
Pneumothorax Flail chest is a life-threatening medical condition that occurs when a segment of the rib cage breaks due to trauma and becomes detached from the rest of the chest wall . Two of the symptoms of flail chest are chest pain and shortness of breath .