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Updated: May 7, 2026

International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure
Published on: March 12, 2020
Spontaneous pneumothorax with persistent air leakage and invasive procedures
Takahiro Haga1, Masatoshi Kurihara, Hideyuki Kataoka
1Pneumothorax Research Center and Division of Thoracic Surgery, Nissan Tamagawa Hospital, Japan.
Recurrent pneumothorax and severe lung collapse increase the need for invasive procedures beyond chest tube drainage. Initial pneumothorax and moderate collapse respond better to chest tube treatment alone.
Area of Science:
- Thoracic Surgery
- Pulmonology
- Medical Interventions
Background:
- Prolonged air leaks are a common complication of spontaneous pneumothorax.
- Chest tube drainage is a primary treatment, but its success rates vary.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the duration of air leaks in spontaneous pneumothorax.
- To identify clinical variables predicting successful chest tube drainage versus invasive procedures.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 441 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax treated with chest tube drainage (2008-2012).
- Comparison of clinical characteristics between patients treated successfully with drainage and those requiring further intervention.
Main Results:
- 34% of patients (150/441) required invasive procedures (VATS, fibrin glue, pleurodesis).
- Chest tube drainage alone was more successful for initial (72%) vs. recurrent (62%) pneumothorax (p=0.015).
- Higher success rates for chest drainage were observed in moderate (70%) vs. severe (61%) lung collapse (p=0.032).
Conclusions:
- Recurrent pneumothorax and severe lung collapse are associated with a higher likelihood of requiring invasive procedures.
- These findings aid in predicting treatment outcomes for spontaneous pneumothorax.
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