traumatic pneumothorax

traumatic pneumothorax

pneumothorax caused by blunt or penetrating chest injury.

traumatic pneumothorax

Emergency medicine Air or gas in the pleural cavity which causes the lung(s) to collapse, usually caused by trauma–eg, gunshot or knife wounds to chest, MVAs, scuba diving accidents, medical procedures–transbronchial Bx, pleural Bx, thoracentesis, chest tube placement, intracostal needle anesthesia, esophagoscopy–which introduce air in the pleural space. See Pneumothorax.

trau·mat·ic pneu·mo·thor·ax

(traw-mat'ik nū'mō-thōr'aks) The presence of air in the pleural cavity caused by blunt or penetrating chest injury.