Pneumothorax (Collapsed Lung)

Bronchoscopy is a procedure during which a patient's lung, airways, voice box, vocal cord, trachea, and many branches of the bronchi may be evaluated. There are two types of bronchoscopies: a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope and a rigid bronchoscope. Bronchoscopy can be used for diagnosis and treatment. Some indications for bronchoscopy include:

• persistent unexplained cough,
• bloody sputum,
• abnormal chest x-ray,
• evaluation of possible lung infection,
• remove foreign bodies in the airway,
• place a stent to open a collapsed lung,
• or to remove a mass or growth blocking the airway.

A CT scan is an X-ray procedure that combines many X-ray images with the aid of a computer to generate cross-sectional and three-dimensional images of internal organs and structures of the body. A CT scan is a low-risk procedure. Contrast material may be injected into a vein or the spinal fluid to enhance the scan.

Chest pain is a common complaint by a patient in the ER. Causes of chest pain include broken or bruised ribs, pleurisy, pneumothorax, shingles, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, angina, heart attack, costochondritis, pericarditis, aorta or aortic dissection, and reflux esophagitis. Diagnosis and treatment of chest pain depends upon the cause and clinical presentation of the patient's chest pain.

Chest X-ray is a type of X-ray commonly used to detect abnormalities in the lungs. A chest X-ray can also detect some abnormalitites in the heart, aorta, and the bones of the thoracic area. A chest X-ray can be used to define abnormalities of the lungs such as:

• excessive fluid (fluid overload or pulmonary edema),
• fluid around the lung (pleural effusion),
• pneumonia,
• bronchitis,
• asthma,
• cysts,
• and cancers.

Normal chest X-ray shows normal size and shape of the chest wall and the main structures in the chest.

Chronic bronchitis is a cough that occurs daily with production of sputum that lasts for at least three months, two years in a row. Causes of chronic bronchitis include cigarette smoking, inhaled irritants, and underlying disease processes (such as asthma, or congestive heart failure). Symptoms include

• cough,
• shortness of breath, and
• wheezing.

Treatments include bronchodilators and steroids. Complications of chronic bronchitis include COPD and emphysema.

COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung condition caused by smoking tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke, and/or air pollutants. Conditions that accompany COPD include:

• Chronic bronchitis
• Chronic cough
• Emphysema

Symptoms of COPD include:

• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Chronic cough

Treatment of COPD include smoking cessation, medications, and surgery. The life expectancy of a person with COPD depends on the stage of the disease.

Boost your energy and combat COPD with these diet tips. Which foods can help patients with COPD? Which foods to avoid for COPD? Learn more about how diet can affect lung health.

Cystic fibrosis is a disease of the mucus and sweat glands. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease. The outcome of the disease leaves the body malnourished, bulky and fouls smelling stools, vitamin insufficiency, gas, painful or swollen abdomen, infertility, susceptible to heat emergencies, and respiratory failure. There is no cure for cystic fibrosis, treatment of symptoms is used to manage the disease.

Endotracheal intubation is a procedure by which a tube is inserted through the mouth down into the trachea. Intubation is done under deep sedation, or in emergency situations (the patient is often unconscious at the time of the procedures. The purpose of the endotracheal tube is to allow air to pass to and from the lungs for ventilation. Potential complications of intubation include:

• brain damage,
• cardiac arrest,
• pneumonia,
• ARDS,
• pneumothorax,
• or death.

Hypoxia is a condition in which the normal concentration of oxygen in the blood is not enough for normal life functions. Hypoxemia is a condition in which there is a lower than normal amount of oxygen in arterial blood. Anoxia is a condition in which there is an absence or near absence of oxygen. There are a variety of causes of hypoxia and hypoxemia such as chemical or gas poisonings; lung conditions such as COPD, emphysema, lung cancer, and sleep apnea; medications; heart problems; anemia; and low oxygen concentration due to the lack of concentrated oxygen for example, mountain climbing, aviation, drowning, and fires. Symptoms of hypoxia and/or hypoxemia may be acute such as fast heart rate, rapid breathing, and shortness of breath; or severe symptoms include confusion, the inability to communicate, coma, and sometimes death. Symptoms in children include irritableness, anxiousness, and inattentiveness. Treatment of hypoxia and/or hypoxemia is to provide supplemental oxygen to the body as soon as possible.

The lungs are a pair of spongy, air-filled organs located on either side of the chest (thorax). See a picture of the Lungs and learn more about the health topic.

Marfan syndrome is hereditary (genetic) condition affecting connective tissue. A person with Marfan syndrome may exhibit the following symptoms and characteristics:

• Dislocation of one or both lenses of the eye
• A protruding or indented breastbone
• Scoliosis
• Flat feet
• Aortic dilatation
• Dural ectasia (a problem with the sac surrounding the spinal cord)
• Stretch marks
• Hernia
• Collapsed lung

Though there is no cure for Marfan syndrome, there are treatments that can minimize and sometimes prevent some complications.

Pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid in the chest or on the lungs. There are two types of pleural effusion, trandsudate and exudate. Causes of transudate pleural effusion include congestive heart failure, kidney failure, and cirrhosis. Exudate pleural effusion can be caused by malignancy (cancer) or lung infection. Typically, transudate pleural effusion is more easily treatable. Symptoms of pleural effusion include:

• chest pain,
• pain when breathing,
• difficulty breathing, and
• cough.

Treatment depends on the source or cause of the pleural effusion.

Pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining around the lungs, is associated with sharp chest pain upon breathing in. Cough, chest tenderness, and shortness of breath are other symptoms associated with pleurisy. Pleurisy pain can be managed with pain medication and by external splinting of the chest wall.

Pulmonary edema (swelling or fluid in the lungs) can either be caused by cardiogenic causes (congestive heart failure, heart attacks, abnormal heart valves) or noncardiogenic causes such as:

• ARDS,
• kidney failure,
• high altitude,
• pneumothorax,
• pleural effusion,
• aspirin overdose,
• pulmonary embolism, and
• infections.

The treatment of pulmonary edema depends on the cause of the condition.