What happens if lungs are punctured

Traumatic pneumothorax: This happens when there has been a direct trauma to the chest, such as a broken rib or an injury from a stab or gunshot. Some medical procedures deliberately collapse the lung, which would also fall under this category. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax: This is when the punctured lung occurs without any exact cause.

It typically happens when there is a rupture of a small air sac on the outside of the lung. This causes air to leak into the cavity around the lung. Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax: This happens when a punctured lung is caused by pre-existing lung disease, such as lung cancer, asthma , or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD. If you experience any form of trauma to the chest, look for the following symptoms:. If you have a punctured lung, you may feel soreness in your chest.

Treatment for a punctured lung varies depending on the severity of the trauma and the amount of damage to the lung. In this case, you may only require oxygen and rest to make a full recovery. A doctor may also release additional air around the lung by sucking it out through a needle, which allows the lung to fully expand.

For a large pneumothorax, a chest tube is placed through the ribs into the area surrounding the lungs to help drain the air. The chest tube can be left in place both for air drainage and also to help inflate the lung. In severe cases, the chest tube may need to be left in place for several days before the chest begins to expand. Surgery may be required for people who experience repeated pneumothorax. A large puncture wound would also require surgery, as the lung tissue would not be able to close immediately and repair itself.

The surgeons will likely work to repair the injury by going through tubes placed down the throat into the bronchial airways.

Surgeons can also make an incision in the skin. Additionally, surgeons may place a tube to remove excess air, and they may have to suction out any blood cells or other fluids in the pleural space. The approach depends on the injury. If no treatment is needed, the doctor usually monitors the lung with repeated chest X-rays to make sure the condition has resolved. Some people who have decreased oxygen levels due to a punctured lung may need supplemental oxygen until their lung re-expands fully.

When symptoms, such as breathlessness, are present or a large portion of the lung has collapsed, treatment is needed. Treatment for a pneumothorax involves lessening pressure on the affected lung to allow it to re-expand. The most common and effective way of dealing with a punctured lung is by the insertion of a chest tube or hollow needle. For this procedure, the doctor inserts a hollow needle or chest tube into the pleural space to let the air out.

A syringe is attached to the needle to draw the excess air out of the space. A chest tube is made of plastic and inserted into the body, in a similar way to a needle, to remove the air.

The chest tube can be connected to a suction machine to remove the excess air from the pleural cavity. If a large portion of the lung has collapsed, the chest tube may have to stay in place for a few days. As the air comes out, the pressure against the lung is decreased and the lung tissue can expand again. Additional procedures may be required if all the air cannot be removed or further air enters the pleural space. The time it takes to recover from a punctured lung will vary.

Recovery time is determined by the extent of the pneumothorax and the treatment that is needed. In general, recovery will take a few weeks. During the recovery time, a person may be monitored to make sure their lungs are working properly. People recovering from a punctured lung may be instructed to do breathing exercises to encourage full lung expansion. It is best to talk to a doctor to determine how often and for how long breathing exercises should be done.

The outlook for someone with a punctured lung often depends on the cause, but treatment is usually effective. Once a punctured lung has healed, it does not typically cause adverse health effects. Many people with a punctured lung may develop another one at some point. According to research , about 35 percent of people who have a punctured lung have a recurrence.

Studies have also suggested that other coronaviruses may contribute to pneumothorax. In a study , SARS severe acute respiratory syndrome was also associated with spontaneous pneumothorax, occurring in 1. Likewise, in a study , a punctured lung was considered a predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with MERS Middle East respiratory syndrome. The authors of the new study said that COVID may cause cysts in the lungs that could lead to lung punctures.

They advised doctors to consider the possibility of punctured lungs in COVID patients, even in those who don't fit the profile for it, as many study patients were diagnosed with this condition only by chance. While an observational case series can't prove that COVID causes pneumothorax, the authors said that the number of affected patients in their study make it unlikely that all lung punctures were coincidental.

They said that if there were no link between the two conditions, they would likely have observed only 18 cases of punctured lung in COVID patients from Jan 22 to Jul 3. While previous studies have suggested that pneumothorax is a predictor of poor outcomes, the authors noted that study patients had an overall Older patients or those with abnormally acidic blood are at greater risk of death and may therefore need more specialist care.

Grant support for ASP provided by. Become an underwriter». All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Skip to main content. University of Minnesota.