TENSION PNEUMOTHORAX

Course overview

PNEUMOTHORAX IS WHEN AIR COLLECTS IN BETWEEN THE PARIETAL AND VISCERA PLEURAE RESULTING IN LUNG COLLAPSE. IT CAN HAPPEN SECONDARY TO TRAUMA (TRAUMATIC PNEUMOTHORAX). WHEN MEDIASTINAL SHIFTS ACCOMPANY IT, IT IS CALLED A TENSION PNEUMOTHORAX. THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY THAT NEEDS URGENT MANAGEMENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PRESENTATION OF TENSION AND TRAUMATIC PNEUMOTHORACES, OUTLINES EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY INTERVENTION AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.