Pneumothorax in the neonatal intensive care unit in Cairo University Hospital

Pneumothorax is more frequent in the neonatal period than at any other time in life and the incidence increases in neonates who have concurrent underlying lung disease or who require mechanical ventilation. This cross sectional study was performed in the inborn NICU in Cairo University Hospitals over one year from September 2010 to August 2011. All neonates admitted were included; their data were collected and observed for pneumothorax occurrence. A total of 59 neonates (9.1%) developed pneumothorax with highest incidence in ELBW and gestational ages less than 32 weeks. RDS and MAS were the most common coexisting lung pathologies. 89.83% of the cases with pneumothorax were on mechanical ventilation. Pneumothorax occurred on the right side in 64.4% of cases, on the left in 18.6% and bilateral in 16.95% of the cases. The mortality was higher (62.7%) in the neonates with pneumothorax than the mortality of the total admissions. The mortality was significantly higher with lower birth weights and gestational ages. Apgar score at one and five minutes and the associated medical diagnosis showed no significant differences between the neonates who died and those who survived.