Prolonged Air Leaks

An air leak is a clinical condition in which large amounts of inspired air pass through a tear in the lung directly into the chest cavity. This causes the lung to collapse rather than inflate, making breathing difficult. This collapsing of the lung is termed a pneumothorax. Pneumothoraces are further classified by their cause. Spontaneous pneumothoraces occur naturally and are typically caused by the rupture of a cyst or a small sac on the surface of the lung. These may develop as a result of underlying lung diseases, including cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, asthma, and infections of the lungs. Secondary pneumothoraces result from external causes such as a penetrating injury to the chest wall or surgical invasion of the chest.

Symptoms of a pneumothroax include sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, cough, and fatigue.

Current treatment for a pneumothorax caused by an air leak is to drain the lung cavity and treat any associated infections. If the air leak fails to close, a chest tube is inserted into the chest wall outside the lung and air is extracted using a vacuum and a water valve device. This allows the lung to re-expand within the chest cavity.

In addition, surgical methods of closure may be employed, but many patients are not able to tolerate further or initial thoracic surgery. As a result, other less invasive methods have been attempted for closure, including gel foam, sealants, injection of ethanol and silicone plugs.