Question

A 24 yo pt presents after MVA. after insertion of the chest tube, a large amount of air continues to leak into the chest tube over the next 6 hours and the lung only partially inflates.

dx
next step

Answer 1

A 24-year-old patient with air leakage into the chest tube after a motor vehicle accident may have a pneumothorax, and the next step is to perform imaging to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment options include inserting a larger chest tube, pleurodesis, or surgery.

Step-by-step explanation:

A 24-year-old patient presents after a motor vehicle accident (MVA) with air leakage into the chest tube over the next 6 hours and partial lung inflation. This suggests a persistent air leak, which can indicate a condition called pneumothorax. Pneumothorax is the presence of air in the pleural space, causing lung collapse. The next step in the diagnosis would be to perform a chest X-ray or CT scan to confirm the pneumothorax and determine the extent of the collapse. Treatment may involve inserting a larger chest tube, pleurodesis, or surgical repair.