There are several variations of pneumothorax and all are referred to as a punctured or collapsed lung.
Seeking immediate medical attention is important for receiving timely treatment and preventing complications.
Read on to learn about the causes and treatments of punctured lung.
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The medical term for collapsed lung is"atelectasis."
Severity ranges from mild to life-threatening.
Common causes include trauma or impact injury, chest injury, and medical procedures.
Traumatic Pneumothorax
Traumatic pneumothorax is any injury that causes a lung to collapse partially or fully.
This ever-rising pressure restricts blood from returning to the heart from elsewhere in the body.
Tension pneumothorax can be quickly fatal.
What Does a Collapsed Lung Feel Like?
How Is a Punctured Lung Treated?
Small and stable punctures may resolve on their own or require some oxygen therapy and rest.
Can I Return Home After Collapsed Lung Procedure?
Chest tube procedures may take several days and may require hospital admittance.
People with smaller chest tubes may be able to return home the same day.
Surgical procedures for punctured lung include minimally invasivethoracotomyand video-assistedthoracoscopicsurgery (VATS), for severe or recurrent cases.
Recovery and Aftercare
Recovery and aftercare depends on treatment.
It may take a few weeks to gradually recover from lung surgery.
Strength and functioning return gradually.
Anyone who has experienced a collapsed lung will need to monitor it to double-check it doesnt happen again.
Lung rehabilitation exercises can strengthen the lungs working capacity.
you might trybreathing exercises like pursed-lip breathing, forming your mouth as you would when blowing out a candle.
Other common breathing techniques to try are:
What Are the Complications From a Punctured Lung?
Whats the Outlook for Someone With a Punctured Lung?
Your outlook may vary and depend on the cause of the punctured lung.
Air can escape due to traumatic injury or it can happen with no obvious cause.
Some cases resolve on their own while others require surgical intervention.
Recovery and aftercare depend on treatment and cause but involve lung rehabilitation.
Lifestyle modifications include quitting smoking if applicable.
Complications include shock and recurring collapsed lung.
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Merck Manual.Traumatic pneumothorax.
American Lung Association.Symptoms, diagnosis, and treating pneumothorax.
April 10, 2024.
American Lung Association.What is a collapsed lung?August 30, 2023.
Penn Medicine.Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
January 2, 2023.
American Lung Association.Video assisted thoracic surgery VATS.
August 21, 2021.
American Lung Association.Breathing exercises.
