An automobile driver was brought to the trauma unit after be

An automobile driver was brought to the trauma unit after being in a wreck. The diagnosis was a pneumothorax and a collapsed lung. Explain what a pneumothorax is and why the lung collapsed.

Solution

Pneumothorax literally means ENTRY OF AIR INTO THE THORAX DUE TO TRAUMA. Entry of air due to any reason such as trauma increases the pressure in thoracic cavity .The impact of this high pressure of pneumothorax causes lung collapse and shifting mediastinum to the opposite side.