Air travel and pneumothorax.
Xiaowen Hu1, Clayton T Cowl2, Misbah Baqir3
1Department of Respiratory Disease, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei, China.
Chest
|April 2, 2014
Summary
Air travel poses risks for individuals with respiratory conditions, potentially causing pneumothorax due to cabin pressure changes. Current guidelines for air travel with pneumothorax are based on limited data, necessitating further research.
Area of Science:
- Aerospace Medicine
- Pulmonology
- Thoracic Surgery
Background:
- Increasing air travel and an aging population lead to more medical emergencies onboard.
- Lower cabin pressure during flights can cause hypoxemia and pneumothorax in individuals with respiratory diseases.
- Conditions like cystic lung diseases, recent pneumothorax, and thoracic surgery increase pneumothorax risk during air travel.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing data on pneumothorax and air travel.
- To highlight the need for evidence-based guidelines for air travel in at-risk patients.
Main Methods:
- Review of case reports and retrospective surveys on pneumothorax and air travel.
- Analysis of current guidelines and their limitations.
Main Results:
- Existing guidelines for air travel after thoracic surgery or pneumothorax are based on sparse data.
- Current recommendations suggest delaying travel for 1-3 weeks, with existing pneumothorax as an absolute contraindication.
- Case reports indicate uneventful air travel for some patients with chronic stable pneumothorax.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant need for more data to guide air travel decisions for patients at risk of pneumothorax.
- Further research is required for patients with recent thoracic surgery and those who have undergone transthoracic needle biopsy.
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