[Electrocardiographic disturbances in the left spontaneous pneumothorax. A case report (author's transl)]

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a relatively frequent acute medical problem. Acute chest pain, sudden dyspnea, and a sensation of discomfort are the usual clinical symptoms: these manifestations also occur in coronary occlusion, with which the condition my easily be misdiagnosed. This is especially true in cases of spontaneous pneumothorax of the left side because the ECG anomalies that arise could be erroneously confused with a coronary condition. The literature on the subject is reviewed and a case of left spontaneous pneumothorax is presented, pointing out the electrocardiographic disturbances: decrease of the amplitude of the QRS complex and R waves, inversion of the T wave in AVL and flattening of the T wave in most of the derivations, slight deviation of the electric axis of QRS toward the right, and phasic variation of voltage (very slight in this case). The importance of ECG studies in these cases is stressed in order to establish the differential diagnosis and avoid unnecessary delays in the application of the proper therapy.