Final answer:
Patients with a pneumothorax may benefit from high-flow oxygen therapy even if their SpO2 is normal, as it can help reduce the size of the pneumothorax by washing out nitrogen. This is similar to the use of oxygen therapy in carbon monoxide poisoning, where it helps displace the toxic gas from hemoglobin. Conversely, carbon dioxide administration is not beneficial and would be detrimental.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether patients with medically diagnosed pneumothorax, but without an intercostal catheter, benefit from high dose O2 regardless of SpO2. The answer to this is Yes, although it should be noted that the clinical practice may vary based on the severity and type of pneumothorax as well as patient-specific factors. The administration of high-flow oxygen, even in cases where SpO2 is normal, can be beneficial. This is because the high concentration of oxygen can help to wash out the nitrogen from the pleural space, thereby reducing the size of the pneumothorax more quickly than if the patient were breathing room air. This is somewhat similar to the administration of 100 percent oxygen in cases of carbon monoxide poisoning, where it helps displace carbon monoxide from hemoglobin, allowing for quicker binding of oxygen and reducing the binding affinity between carbon monoxide and hemoglobin. Providing carbon dioxide would not have the same effect and would instead lead to respiratory acidosis, which can be harmful.