Pneumothorax is a common clinical problem encountered by physicians in many clinical settings. Pneumothorax may be either primary or secondary; primary pneumothorax occurs in patients without underlying lung disease; whereas secondary pneumothorax occurs in patients with preexisting pulmonary disease, such as bullous emphysema.(1) In most cases, pneumothorax results from a rent in the alveolar membrane; an interruption in the parietal pleura following chest trauma or surgical procedures may also be causative.
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