Abstract
Pneumothorax is a common complication in infants receiving assisted ventilation. The appropriate management of this condition is not always clearly defined, especially when a large air leak and mediastinal shift are present but the infant is hemodynamically stable. Despite the complications associated with chest tube placement, this remains the most common approach in such cases. We report 4 cases of preterm infants who developed large pneumothoraces with mediastinal shift while on assisted ventilation and were managed conservatively, with substantial improvement within 12–96 hours. In this report we also review the literature on pneumothorax in preterm infants.
Footnotes
- Correspondence: Guilherme Mendes Sant'Anna MD PhD, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, 2300 Tupper Street, Room C912, Montreal, Québec, Canada H3H 1P3. E-mail: guilherme.santanna{at}mcgill.ca.
The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest.
- Copyright © 2012 by Daedalus Enterprises Inc.