| Risk Factors |
|---|
| Pneumocystis jirovecii, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Marfans, familial, Trauma (mechanical) ventilation, smoking, cystic fibrosis |
| Risk Factors | Characteristic Findings | Diagnostic Testing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decreased breath sounds, hyperresonant percussion, distended neck veins, tracheal deviation | Chest radiography, computed tomography | ||
| Special considerations: Of all emergency diagnoses, the only one that is immediately reversible is a tension pneumothorax. Needle decompression involves placing a 14-gauge angiocath in the second or third intercostal space in the midclavicular line. In a study of trauma patients with computed tomography scans of the chest, the mean chest wall thickness studied averaged 4.24 cm at this location, and almost a quarter of patients had chest walls thicker than 5 cm.¶ Therefore, one should use the longest catheter possible. Alternatives include using a spinal needle or rapid tube thoracostomy. | |||