[Differential diagnosis of spontaneous pneumothorax]

Spontaneous pneumothorax runs its course in the presence of the main symptoms such as pain in the side, dyspnea, tachycardia, often leading to erroneous diagnoses: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, renal and liver colic, and so forth. Sometimes these errors lead to grave consequences. While differentiating between the most severe complication, spontaneous valvular pneumothorax, and similar diseases it is necessary to bear in mind that the main symptomatology of the complication involves the presence on the side of the complication of a box sound, sometimes with a tympanic tone, reduced respiration or its absence, and heart displacement toward the side opposite to the pneumothorax.