Pneumothorax —Time for New Guidelines?

Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2019; 40: 314-322 DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1693499Pneumothorax is a common pathology, but optimal management strategies are not yet defined. There are significant differences in international guidelines and therefore variation in clinical practice.There is increasing interest in pneumothorax research, particularly primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), with evidence of lung abnormalities in this group without clinically apparent lung disease and recently completed clinical trials aiming to optimize management. The most robust evidence base is that of the equivalence of needle aspiration and chest tube insertion for initial management of PSP; although, patients with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax may also benefit. A convincing case for surgical intervention or thoracoscopy and talc poudrage to prevent recurrence at first episode in PSP has yet to be made. Clinicians should be vigilant for PSP being the first manifestation of a systemic disease, and should have a low threshold for onward referral. Time to change guidelines? First, chest tube drainage and hospitalization without recurrence prevention should no longer be standard treatment, as this has no advantage over the less invasive manual aspiration, which moreover can be performed on an outpatient basis in an important number of patients. The results of recent trials in conservative and ambulatory management are eagerly awaited. Second, shared decision-making should become more important wit...
Source: Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Review Article Source Type: research