Quang Nam Central General Hospital successfully treated a complicated pneumothorax case

DNO - Quang Nam Central General Hospital has just successfully treated a case of complicated pneumothorax due to a ruptured air cyst.

Image of lung cysts on CT scan of a patient with NST. Photo: DAO HUAN

Doctor Duong Chi Luc, Head of the General Planning Department of Quang Nam Central General Hospital, informed that the hospital had just received a patient with NST (70 years old, Lan Phong commune, Quang Ngai province), admitted with a left pneumothorax due to a ruptured air cyst.

The patient had a drain placed at a local medical facility but after 5 days the flatulence did not stop.

Upon transfer to Quang Nam Central General Hospital, the patient was monitored in the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, given breathing exercises, tested, and prepared for surgery to treat the cause of the pneumothorax.

Examination showed that the patient was in an acute episode of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with many large air pockets in both lungs, with severe emphysema. This is a high-risk factor in anesthesia and surgery, because even a rupture of the air pocket in the remaining lung could be life-threatening.

Faced with this situation, the medical team consulted, developed an optimal response plan, and proactively restored the patient's respiratory function before surgery.

The VATS was performed successfully. Large air cysts, including leaking ones, were removed using an automatic cutting and suturing machine, combined with pleural stripping to prevent recurrence.

After surgery, the patient still had air leakage due to ruptured small cysts, so the pleura was pumped to adhere. Three days later, the air leakage stopped, the drain was removed, and the X-ray results showed that the lungs had recovered well. The patient was discharged after 7 days and a follow-up examination showed positive results.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/benh-vien-da-khoa-trung-uong-quang-nam-dieu-tri-thanh-cong-ca-tran-khi-mang-phoi-phuc-tap-3299221.html