Pneumothorax, or air in the pleural space, is common in trauma, and has been found in up to 50% of severe polytrauma patients with chest injury.1 Findings associated with pneumothorax include dyspnea, chest pain, tachypnea, and absent breath sounds on lung auscultation. Although pneumothorax is traditionally diagnosed on plain film and confirmed with CT, the advent of portable ultrasonography has provided a way to rapidly diagnose pneumothorax, with a higher sensitivity than plain film.2,3 Patients with traumatic pneumothorax are typically treated with needle decompression or tube thoracostomy. However, recent literature has found that many patients can be managed conservatively via observation, or with a smaller thoracostomy such as a percutaneous pigtail catheter rather than a larger chest tube.
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Keywords: pneumothorax, traumatic pneumothorax, dyspnea, chest pain, chest x-ray, CXR, pleural lines, ultrasound, eFAST, pleural interface, comet-tail artifact, lung sliding, computed tomography, CT, needle decompression, tube thoracostomy, TT, chest tube, pigtail catheter, primary survey, secondary survey, ATLS
Lee Schmidt, MD; Jacqueline Tran; Kaushal Shah, MD, FACEP
Kamal Gursahani, MD, MBA; Karan P. Singh, MD, MBA, FACEP, FAAEM, CPPS
April 15, 2022
April 15, 2025   CME Information
4 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.™ Specialty CME Credits: Included as part of the 4 credits, this CME activity is eligible for 4 Trauma CME credits, subject to your state and institutional approval.
Price: $99
+4 Credits!
Lee Schmidt, MD; Jacqueline Tran; Kaushal Shah, MD, FACEP
Kamal Gursahani, MD, MBA; Karan P. Singh, MD, MBA, FACEP, FAAEM, CPPS
April 15, 2022
April 15, 2025
4 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.™ Specialty CME Credits: Included as part of the 4 credits, this CME activity is eligible for 4 Trauma CME credits, subject to your state and institutional approval.
Pediatric Ocular Trauma: Recognition and Management (Trauma CME and Pharmacology CME)
Pediatric Chest Pain: Using Evidence to Reduce Diagnostic Testing in the Emergency Department