- Stable patients
with small pneumothoraces
- Observation
in the emergency department for 3 to 6 Hours
- Discharge home
if a repeat chest radiograph excludes progression
- Follow-up within
12-48 hours with repeat chest radiograph to document resolution
- Stable patients
with large pneumothoraces
- Hospitalization
- Re-expansion
of lung using a small-bore catheter or placing a 16F to 22F chest
tube
- Suction if
lung fails to re-expand
- Unstable patients
with large pneumothoraces
- Hospitalization
- Chest tube
placement with 16F to 22F standard chest tube
- Use 24F to
28F chest tube if patient has a large air leak or requires positive-pressure
ventilation
|
- All patients
should be hospitalized
- Observation or
treatment with a chest tube, depending on the extent of the symptoms
and the course of the pneumothorax
|