Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Definition Spontaneous pneumothorax is a collection of air or gas in the chest that causes the lung to collapse (see also pneumothorax) in the absence of a traumatic injury to the chest or lung.
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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
A primary spontaneous pneumothorax occurs in a person with no known lung disease. It affects between 8,000 and 9,000 persons in the USA each year -- most often among tall, thin men between 20 and 40 years-old.
Usually, the rupture of a small bleb or bullae (an air- or fluid-filled sac in the lung) causes primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax occurs in the setting of known lung disease, most often chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Other lung diseases commonly associated with spontaneous pneumothorax include: tuberculosis, pneumonia, asthma, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, and certain forms of interstitial lung disease.
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