Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax,an Era of Fresh Air

Abstract

Background. There are no rigid guidelines for the management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Although there seems to be a consensus between several medical societies regarding the management of an asymptomatic small pneumothorax, the approach toward a moderate to large symptomatic primary spontaneous pneumothorax is unclear and is not substantiated by well-designed research studies. Objectives. Our aim is to shed some light on the role of observation alone in the setting of moderate to large primary spontaneous pneumothorax and to report the different medical societies’ views on the treatment of a primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Case report. We report a case of a 26-year-old man who presented to our emergency department with shortness of breath and was found to have a symptomatic moderate-size pneumothorax that was successfully treated with oxygen therapy and supportive care. Conclusion. We hope that this case will stimulate further research in the field of primary spontaneous pneumothorax management advocating for simple observation and oxygen therapy.