Pneumothorax can be caused by 1 of the following 4 mechanisms: (1) extrathoracic trauma (ie, closed-chest compressions), (2) spontaneous rupture of alveoli, (3) disruption of fascial planes in the neck (ie, traumatic intubation), or (4) abnormally high intrathoracic pressure (ie, valsalva from protracted coughing). Tension pneumothorax occurs when there is continuous loss of air from [...]

CASE REPORT
A 37-year-old black male, 5′ 3″ and 128 pounds, with a history of moderate to severe mental retardation was scheduled for elective dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia in the operating room of a small state mental hospital. Preoperative testing included an electrocardiogram (ECG), complete blood count, electrolytes, chest x-ray (CXR), and a full health [...]

Pneumothorax, the loss of air from the lung into the pleural space, is described as being spontaneous or traumatic in origin. The spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) can be further subdivided into primary (ie, no underlying pulmonary disease) and secondary (ie, related to underlying pulmonary pathology). The general pathologic mechanism of the development of SP occurs from [...]