[Contribution of functional respiratory exploration to the etiological study of spontaneous pneumothorax (author's transl)]

In order to specify the etiology of primary spontaneous pneumothorax, lung function studies were performed on 14 patients after one pneumothorax without any set. All the patients showed at least one disturbance. 4 patients revealed a decrease of maximal expiratory flow, a decrease of lung recoil, a hyperinflation and a reduction of lung transfer factor. In 6 other patients decrease of elasticity, hyperinflation and decrease of transfer factor were observed, but maximal expiratory flow was normal. One patient showed an obstructive syndrome. It is difficult indeed to connect physiological findings and anatomy, but these disturbances are often observed in lung dystrophy. Perhaps, these disturbances are in connexion with the proximity of accident; so, a long term study is required in order to know the etiopathogeny of this disease.