Education

1. Traumatic Pneumothorax
Professional Conference Presentation
Medical Blue Theme

2. Definition
• Air in pleural space due to trauma
• → Loss of negative pressure
• → Lung collapse

3. Epidemiology
• • Common in blunt and penetrating trauma
• • Often associated with rib fractures
• • High prevalence in high-impact injuries

4. Pathophysiology
• • Pleural breach → air leaks into pleural space
• • Lung recoil → collapse
• • Severe cases → mediastinal shift and
hypoxia

5. Types of Traumatic Pneumothorax
• • Open pneumothorax
• • Closed pneumothorax
• • Tension pneumothorax (life-threatening)

6. Clinical Presentation
• • Dyspnea, chest pain
• • Decreased breath sounds
• • Hyperresonance on percussion
• • Subcutaneous emphysema

7. Tension Pneumothorax Signs
• • Hypotension
• • Tachycardia
• • Tracheal deviation
• • Distended neck veins
• • Severe respiratory distress

8. Diagnosis – Chest X-ray
• • Visible pleural line
• • No lung markings beyond pleural line
• • Lung collapse
• [Chest X-ray image placeholder]

9. Diagnosis – CT Chest
• • Most sensitive method
• • Detects small pneumothoraces
• • Used in stable trauma patients
• [CT Chest image placeholder]

10. Diagnosis – E-FAST
• • Absence of lung sliding
• • 'Lung point' sign
• • Rapid in trauma settings

11. Initial Management – ATLS
• • Airway
• • Breathing
• • Circulation
• • Disability
• • Exposure

12. Simple Pneumothorax
Management
• • Chest tube insertion (5th ICS, AAL)
• • Oxygen therapy
• • Pain control

13. Open Pneumothorax Management
• • 3-sided occlusive dressing
• • Chest tube insertion
• • Surgical closure of wound

14. Tension Pneumothorax Treatment
• • Immediate needle decompression
• • 2nd ICS MCL or 4th/5th ICS AAL
• • Follow with chest tube

15. Surgical Indications
• • Persistent air leak > 48–72 hours
• • Failure of lung expansion
• • Bilateral pneumothorax
• • Associated hemothorax

16. Complications
• • Recurrence
• • Infection / empyema
• • Bronchopleural fistula
• • Respiratory failure