Neumotórax y Drenaje Torácico

Air Leaks, Pneumothorax, and Chest Drains: (Para leer el artículo completo se necesita una cuenta en MedScape. Es gratis)
Air leaks can be defined as any extrusion of air from normal gas-filled cavities including the upper airway, sinuses, tracheobronchial tree, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Clinical conditions of relevance in anaesthesia and critical care include pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, pneumoperitoneum, and subcutaneous emphysema. This review will cover those related to the chest; of these, pneumothorax is the most common serious complication. In critically ill patients, the diagnosis of pneumothorax is often complicated by other disease processes and the limitations of bedside imaging.