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International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure
05:50

International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure

Published on: March 12, 2020

Is spontaneous pneumothorax really a pediatric problem? A national perspective

Kurtis Dotson1, Nathan Timm, Mike Gittelman

  • 1Division of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. kurtis.dotson@cchmc.org

Pediatric Emergency Care
|March 29, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) incidence in children is increasing, primarily affecting adolescent males. Many pediatric SP cases are managed without surgical procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Epidemiology
  • Thoracic Surgery

Background:

  • Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) research predominantly focuses on adults and adolescents.
  • Limited population-based data exists for pediatric SP incidence and trends.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) in the pediatric population.
  • To analyze SP incidence across different pediatric age groups.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients (0-17 years) hospitalized with SP.
  • Utilized the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database (1997-2006).
  • Examined trends in incidence, demographics, length of stay, procedures, and associated conditions.

Main Results:

  • Overall pediatric SP incidence rose from 2.68 to 3.41 per 100,000 population (1997-2006).
  • Males were 4.2 times more likely than females to develop SP in 2006.
  • Common procedures included chest tube (32%), bleb excision (20%); common diagnoses were emphysematous bleb (21%) and asthma (10%).

Conclusions:

  • Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) is uncommon but increasing in pediatric males and adolescents.
  • A significant portion of pediatric SP cases are managed non-procedurally.
  • Highlights the need for further research into pediatric SP etiology and management.
Abstract

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