A pneumothorax, also known as a collapsed lung, occurs when air (either from the lung or outside) collects in the space between the lung and the chest wall. This condition can present in 1 of 3 ways: spontaneous (primary), secondary, and traumatic. This activity focuses on a subset of traumatic pneumothoraces known as iatrogenic pneumothorax. This refers to a pneumothorax developed secondary to an invasive procedure such as a pulmonary needle biopsy (transthoracic and transbronchial), a central venous line placement, or positive pressure ventilation. As a complication of an invasive procedure, a tension pneumothorax can develop when the pressure in the pleural space is positive throughout the respiratory cycle. This leads to decreased venous return, hypotension, and hypoxia. A pneumothorax can range from asymptomatic to potentially life-threatening. Iatrogenic pneumothorax is a patient safety indicator (PSI) of the above procedures.
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