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Updated: May 9, 2026

International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure
Published on: March 12, 2020
[Reexpansion pulmonary edema following thoracentesis]
Tetsuyuki Okubo1, Masaya Kawada, Yoshinori Suzuki
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sapporo Medical Center Tonan Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
This study reports two cases of pneumothorax complicated by pulmonary edema following thoracentesis. Both patients were successfully treated with supplemental oxygen alone, avoiding mechanical ventilation.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Pneumothorax, a condition of collapsed lung, can lead to respiratory distress.
- Thoracentesis, a procedure to remove air or fluid, can sometimes cause complications.
Observation:
- Two patients presented with pneumothorax and subsequent dyspnea after thoracentesis.
- Imaging revealed pulmonary edema in the affected lung lobes post-procedure.
Findings:
- Post-thoracentesis pulmonary edema occurred in both patients, indicated by decreased oxygen saturation.
- Computed tomography confirmed pulmonary edema in the lung regions affected by pneumothorax.
Implications:
- Supplemental oxygen may be an effective treatment for post-thoracentesis pulmonary edema.
- Non-invasive oxygen therapy can potentially avoid the need for endotracheal intubation in select cases.
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