From my understanding tension PTx is due to penetrating trauma or blunt trauma, infx, invasive ventilation, iatrogenic ⇒ a flap like tear in visceral pleura tf as you breathe (diaphram goes down increasing negative intrathoracic pressure) air comes into the plueral cavity but can't go back through the flap, it (the flap) seals itself on inspiration building up intra thoracic pressure
the thing i dont understand is that if there is penetratng trauma (one of the causes of tension pneumothorax) there is definitely a tear in the chest wall & probably the parietal pleura tf any air that enters into the pleural space via the lung and the flap like tear in the visceral pleura in a tension PTx, surely air can exit through the tear in the chest wall? Thus there shouldnt really be a be a build up of pressure right?
the thing i dont understand is that if there is penetratng trauma (one of the causes of tension pneumothorax) there is definitely a tear in the chest wall & probably the parietal pleura tf any air that enters into the pleural space via the lung and the flap like tear in the visceral pleura in a tension PTx, surely air can exit through the tear in the chest wall? Thus there shouldnt really be a be a build up of pressure right?
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