What Are The Causes, Risk Factors, And Complications Of Emphysema?

Pneumothorax

Pneumothorax is the medical term used to describe a collapsed lung. This is a complication that can arise in an individual affected by emphysema. The pockets of air in the lungs that develop in emphysema patients cause further air leakage into the region that lies between the lung and chest wall. This mechanism creates a reverse pressurized effect on the lung because the air in this region causes the lung to become compressed into itself from several directions. When the lung can no longer sustain its structure under this pressure, all or part of it collapses. When an individual experiences a pneumothorax, they feel sudden and intense chest pain accompanied by shortness of breath. This type of collapse in the lung is often a life-threatening condition that requires prompt medical intervention. A collapsed lung is typically treated with the insertion of a needle into the space between the chest wall and the lung to remove the excess air, and to relieve pressure on the collapsed lung. While a pneumothorax can occur for no known reason in healthy individuals, those affected by emphysema experience collapsed lungs more frequently

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