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International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure
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Published on: March 12, 2020

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What factors predict recurrence after an initial episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax in children?

Si Young Choi1, Chan Beom Park, Sun Wha Song

  • 1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery : Official Journal of the Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Asia
|November 29, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Air-containing lesions on CT scans and bullae on X-rays predict recurrence after primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) in children. Identifying these risk factors can guide early surgical intervention to prevent repeat episodes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Thoracic Surgery
  • Pulmonology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Recurrence is common after primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP).
  • Preventive surgery for pediatric PSP is debated.
  • Identifying recurrence predictors is crucial for treatment decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Determine factors predicting PSP recurrence in children.
  • Inform early surgical referrals for pediatric PSP management.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of pediatric patients (<18 years) treated conservatively for initial PSP.
  • Study period: March 2005 - September 2011.
  • Mean follow-up: 43.1 months.

Main Results:

  • 114 patients included.
  • Ipsilateral recurrence rate: 47.3%; contralateral: 14.0%.
  • Air-containing lesions on HRCT (60.3% vs 31.4%) and bullae on chest X-rays independently predicted ipsilateral recurrence.

Conclusions:

  • Blebs/bullae on imaging significantly correlate with ipsilateral PSP recurrence in children.
  • Clarifying risk factors may reduce hospital stays and recurrence via early surgery.
  • Early video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) could be beneficial.
Abstract

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