Pneumothorax during manned chamber operations: A summary of reported cases.

In-chamber pneumothorax has complicated medically remote professional diving operations, submarine escape training, management of decompression illness, and hospital-based provision of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Attempts to avoid thoracotomy by combination of high oxygen partial pressure breathing (the concept of inherent unsaturation) and greatly slowed rates of chamber decompression proved successful on several occasions. When this delicate balance designed to prevent the intrapleural gas volume from expanding faster than it contracts proved futile, chest drains were inserted. The presence of pneumothorax was misdiagnosed or missed altogether with disturbing frequency, resulting in wide-ranging clinical consequences. One patient succumbed before the chamber had been fully decompressed. Another was able to ambulate unaided from the chamber before being diagnosed and managed conventionally. In between these two extremes, patients experienced varying degrees of clinical compromise, from respiratory distress to cardiopulmonary arrest, with successful resuscitation. Pneumothorax associated with manned chamber operations is commonly considered to develop while the patient is under pressure and manifests during ascent. However, published reports suggest that many were pre-existing prior to chamber entry. Risk factors included pulmonary barotrauma-induced cerebral arterial gas embolism, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and medical or surgical procedures usually involving the lung. This latter category is of heightened importance to hyperbaric operations as an iatrogenically induced pneumothorax may take as long as 24 hours to be detected, perhaps long after a patient has been cleared for chamber exposure.

Lung volume reduction for emphysema using one-way endobronchial valves: An Australian cohort.

Emphysema can be associated with gas trapping and hyperinflation, which negatively impacts on quality of life, life expectancy, and functional capacity. Lung volume reduction (LVR) surgery can reduce gas trapping and improve mortality in select patients but carries a high risk of major complications. Bronchoscopic techniques for LVR using one-way endobronchial valves (EBV) have become an established efficacious alternative to surgery. A bi-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with severe emphysema who underwent endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR) using Pulmonx Zephyr EBVs. Symptomatic patients with gas-trapping and hyperinflation on lung function testing were selected. Target-lobe selection was based on quantitative imaging analysis and ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy. Successful procedures were determined from clinical review, imaging and follow-up testing. Thirty-nine patients underwent ELVR. Mean pre-procedure forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was 0.75 L, residual volume (RV) was 225% predicted and total lung capacity was 129% predicted. Most common treated-lobe was left upper lobe. Post-procedure pneumothorax occurred in 36.5% of patients with 73% requiring intercostal catheter insertion for drainage. Mean FEV1 improvement was +140 mL and 57% of patients achieved minimal clinical important difference FEV1 increase of ≥12%. Maximal mean RV change was -1010 mL with 69% of patients achieving minimal clinical important difference RV decrease of ≥350 mL. Clinician-determined success of ELVR was 78%. Procedure-related mortality was absent. LVR using EBVs is safe and can lead to significant improvements in lung function, particularly reduction of gas trapping and hyperinflation. Occurrence of pneumothorax post-procedure is a complication that must be monitored for and managed appropriately.

Iatrogenic Pneumothorax during Acupuncture: Case Report.

Acupuncture treatment in local areas is commonly used to treat pain or soreness; however, acupuncture around the neck or shoulder may be a risk factor for pneumothorax. Herein, we report two cases of iatrogenic pneumothorax after acupuncture. These points indicate that physicians should be aware of these risk factors through history-taking before acupuncture. Chronic pulmonary diseases, such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis, lung cancer, pneumonia, and thoracic surgery, may be associated with a higher risk of iatrogenic pneumothorax after acupuncture. Even if the incidence of pneumothorax should be low under caution and fully evaluated, it is still recommended to arrange further imaging examinations to rule out the possibility of iatrogenic pneumothorax.

Utilization and Outcomes of Observation for Spontaneous Pneumothorax at an Integrated Health System.

INTRODUCTION: Though limited, recent evidence supports observation rather than intervention for spontaneous pneumothorax management. We sought to compare the utilization and outcomes between observation and intervention for patients with primary and secondary spontaneous pneumothoraces. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of all adults presenting to Kaiser Permanente Northern California emergency rooms with spontaneous pneumothorax from 2016 to 2020 was performed. Those with prior pneumothoraces, tension physiology, bilateral pneumothoraces, effusions, and prior thoracic procedures or surgery on the affected side were excluded. Groups included observation versus intervention. Baseline clinicodemographic variables and outcomes were compared. Treatment was considered successful if further interventions were not required for pneumothorax resolution. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, chi-square tests, Fischer exact tests, and multivariable logistic regression models were performed. RESULTS: Of the 386 patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax, age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, smoking status, and the Charlson comorbidity index were not different between treatment groups. Of 86 patients with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax, age, gender, and smoking status were not different between treatment groups. Among patients with primary pneumothoraces, 83 underwent observation while 303 underwent intervention. The success rate was 92.8% for observation and 60.4% for intervention (P < 0.0001). Among patients with secondary pneumothoraces, 15 underwent observation while 71 underwent intervention, with a successful rate of 73.3% for observation and 32.4% for intervention (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Given the high success rates for observation of both small and moderate primary and secondary pneumothoraces, observation should be considered for clinically stable patients. Observation may be the superior choice for decreasing morbidity and healthcare costs.

[A prospective study of position selection combined with autologous blood intrathoracic infusion in the treatment of postoperative persistent air leakage with an unexpanded lung].

We prospectively studied 17 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax or giant emphysematous bulla at Rizhao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October 2020 to March 2022. All patients underwent thoracoscopic interventional therapy, had experienced continued air leakage for 3 days with closed thoracic drainage postoperatively, had an unexpanded lung on CT, and/or failed to intervention with position selection combined with intra-pleural thrombin injection(referred to as "position plus1.0"). They were all treated with position selection combined with autologous blood (100 ml) and thrombin (5 000 U) intra-pleural injection(referred to as "position plus 2.0").The success rate of the "position plus 2.0" intervention was 16/17, and the recurrence rate was 3/17. There were four cases of fever, four cases of pleural effusion, one case of empyema, and no other adverse reactions. This study has shown that the "position plus 2.0" intervention is safe, effective, and simple for patient with persistent air leakage failed to intervention with"position plus 1.0" after thoracoscopic treatment of pulmonary and pleural diseases related to bulla.

[Acupuncture with an Aftermath]. / Akupunktur mit Folgen.

Acupuncture with an Aftermath Abstract. A 70-year-old female patient presents with a 6-hour history of left sided thoracic pain and acutely exacerbated cough in the emergency department. Earlier in the morning she had undergone acupuncture therapy. The clinical examination revealed tachypnea with diminished breath sounds on the left side and hyperresonance to percussion. The laboratory findings revealed elevated D-Dimer and NT-proBNP. Due to the clinical presentation and the laboratory results, a CT scan of the chest was made, which confirmed the suspected left-side pneumothorax. The chest radiograph showed complete resolution of the pneumothorax within two days after chest tube placement.

To develop, implement and evaluate an integrated care pathway for patients presenting with pneumothorax.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Pneumothorax is a common presentation to acute healthcare services in Ireland, however there is wide variation in management approaches between centres. There is robust evidence to demonstrate that ambulatory management of pneumothorax is feasible and safe. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the implementation of an integrated care pathway (ICP) for pneumothorax patients with a focus on ambulatory care would be economically beneficial for the healthcare system. METHODS: This study developed, implemented and evaluated an ICP for all patients presenting with pneumothorax, with a specific focus on ambulatory management for suitable patients. The ICP was designed to be utilised in the Irish healthcare setting, and was evaluated using a prospective multi-centre observational study, with a rigorous economic analysis at the centre of study design. MAIN FINDINGS: Implementation of the ICP resulted in a statistically significant reduction in inpatient length of stay of 2.84 days from 7.4 to 4.56 days (p = 0.001). The incremental per patient cost reduction of treating a patient according to the pneumothorax ICP was 2314 euro. There were no adverse events related to drain insertion at the study sites. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates therefore that standardisation of care for pneumothorax patients with a focus on ambulatory management are economically beneficial for the publicly-funded healthcare service. It is envisaged that this work will be used to inform healthcare policy at a national level across Ireland.

Iatrogenic Pneumothorax During Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator Implantation: A Large Database Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: There have been case reports of adverse events of hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HNS) implantation not seen in previous clinical trials, including pneumothorax and pleural effusion. The purpose of this study was to determine the rates of these complications and potential risk factors. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study during 2014 to 2021. SETTING: Twenty-five health care organizations across the United States. METHODS: The TriNetX Research Network was queried by using disease codes to retrospectively identify patients with obstructive sleep apnea who underwent HNS implantation. Rates of pneumothorax, pleural effusion, other complications, and need for revision/replacement or explant were determined. RESULTS: We identified 1813 patients from 25 health care organizations who underwent HNS implantation. The average age was 60 years, and there were 68% males and 32% females. Of the cohort, 2.4% (n = 44 from 7 implant centers) experienced a pneumothorax, and 0.6% (n = 11) were diagnosed with a pleural effusion on the day of surgery. Patients who experienced pneumothorax were more likely to have a history of chronic lower respiratory diseases when compared with those who did not (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1-4.1; P = .02). CONCLUSION: The incidence of intraoperative pneumothorax and pleural effusion during HNS implantation may be greater than initially thought. Patients with chronic lower respiratory diseases may be at increased risk. This should be communicated with patients during the informed consent process.

[Effectiveness and safety of medical glue assisted argon plasma coagulation union giant emphysematous bulla volume reduction via thoracoscope on the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax with subpleural bullae].

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a new treatment protocol that combined "medical glue assisted argon plasma coagulation"(hereinafter called "APC plus") and "giant emphysematous bulla volume reduction"(hereinafter called "one thoracoscope plus one needle") via medical thoracoscopy on the spontaneous pneumothorax patients whose chest high resolution CT (HRCT) showed multiple subpleural bullae (SPB) and at least one SPB≥4 cm in diameter. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 46 cases of spontaneous pneumothorax with multiple SPB(at least one SPB≥4 cm in diameter), 42 males and 4 females, aged from 31 to 79 (68.5±10.3) years,from June 2018 to December 2021 in Rizhao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The time of air leakage discontinuance, the disappearance rate and reduction degree of target subpleural blebs one week after operation, the degree of reduction and the incidence of postoperative complications were observed. Two-year follow-up after operation was carried out to assess the recurrence rate and its short- and long-term complications. Results: Among the 46 patients, SPB disappeared or nearly disappeared in 39 cases (84.78%), decreased in number or reduced in volume in 5 cases (10.87%), and remained unchanged in 2 cases (4.35%) after the intervention of "APC Plus"; 40 patients stopped leaking within 1 week and 6 cases stopped leaking over a week. Eleven patients finished the 3-year follow-up, 13 finished 2-year follow-up and 6 finished 1-year follow-up, with only 1 relapse. No serious complications occurred in all these 46 patients. Conclusion: "APC plus" combining with "one thoracoscope plus one needle" is safe and effective in the treatment of pneumothorax patients with multiple subpleural bullae of varying sizes.

Pneumothorax during upper airway stimulation: Does experience make a difference?

OBJECTIVES: Upper airway stimulation is a treatment option for select patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Pneumothorax may occur with UAS implantation during placement of the respiratory sensor. This study aims to evaluate the incidence of pneumothorax during UAS device placement. We hypothesize that sleep surgeons with high implantation volumes experience lower rates of pneumothorax compared to the general population of surgeons. METHODS: We also aim to describe management of pneumothorax when it does occur. The incidence of pneumothorax during UAS implantation among the general population of surgeons was assessed using the TriNetX Research Network. Additionally, a select group of Otolaryngologist sleep surgeons with a high UAS implantation volume were surveyed regarding experiences with UAS related pneumothoraces. RESULTS: 8 pneumothoraces occurred among 3823 UAS procedures in the surveyed otolaryngologist sleep surgeon population. 4 required chest tube insertion. Among the general population cohort, 42 of 1233 patients developed pneumothorax after UAS implantation. The rates of pneumothorax between the otolaryngologist sleep surgeon cohort and general population of surgeons cohort were 0.21 % and 3.4 % respectively (p < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: Pneumothorax rarely occurs during UAS implantation. Surgeons with higher implantation volumes showed a lower incidence of pneumothorax. Pneumothorax management is dependent on patient stability, perioperative setting, and degree of injury. The use of needle decompression, chest tube placement, and suture placement also vary with clinical scenario.

Acupuncture-D" - Bilateral Pneumothoraces Following Dry Needling.

Presentation A 24-year-old newly graduated junior doctor presented to the emergency department with acute onset chest pain, haemoptysis and exertional dyspnoea following a dry needling session. Diagnosis Chest x-ray showed bilateral pneumothoraces, worse on the right side. Treatment The bilateral pneumothoraces were treated conservatively with supplemental oxygen initially. On the second day of admission, repeat chest x-ray demonstrated a worsening right sided pneumothorax. While vitally stable, the patient however had become increasingly dyspnoeic, and a needle aspiration was performed on the right side with good effect. Conclusion The anatomical location targeted along with the patients low-normal BMI makes her high-risk when considering the skin-to-pleura distance. Although the incidence of pneumothorax is low, it is imperative that we improve awareness both for the treating physician and the diagnosing clinician. We must begin to fill the distinct lack in available literature surrounding the potential adverse effects of dry needling.

Fatal bilateral pneumothoraces after electroacupuncture treatment: A case report and literature review.

Acupuncture is practiced as a complementary medicine worldwide. Although it is considered a safe practice, pneumothorax is one of its most common serious complications. However, there have been few reports of deaths due to pneumothorax after acupuncture treatment, especially focused on electroacupuncture. We report an autopsy case of a man in his 60s who went into cardiopulmonary arrest and died immediately after receiving electroacupuncture. Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) showed bilateral pneumothoraces, as well as the presence of numerous gold threads embedded subcutaneously. An autopsy revealed two ecchymoses in the right thoracic cavity and a pinhole injury on the lower lobe of the right lung, suggesting that the needles had penetrated the lung. There were marked emphysematous changes in the lung, suggesting that rupture of bullae might also have contributed to bilateral pneumothoraces and fatal outcome. The acupuncture needles may have been drawn deeper into the body than at the time of insertion due to electrical pulses and muscle contraction, indicating the need for careful determination of treatment indications and technical safety measures, such as fail-safe mechanisms. This is the first case report of fatal bilateral pneumothoraces after electroacupuncture reported in the English literature. This case sheds light on the safety of electroacupuncture and the need for special care when administering it to patients with pulmonary disease who may be at a higher risk of pneumothorax. This is also the first report of three-dimensional reconstructed PMCT images showing the whole-body distribution of embedded gold acupuncture threads, which is unusual.

Simultaneous Viscum pleurodesis and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) bullectomy in patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

Although surgery is the gold standard for treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), recurrence after surgery remains a concern. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of simultaneous pleurodesis using Viscum album (VA) extract and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) bullectomy for the treatment of PSP. From March 2016 to June 2020, 175 patients with PSP underwent bullectomy and intraoperative pleurodesis with VA extract at a single institution. All operations were performed through thoracoscopy by one surgeon. Upon completion of bullectomy, a polyglycolic acid sheet was used to cover the stapler lines, and 40 mg of VA extract was instilled over the entire chest wall before chest tube placement. The median operating time was 20 min (interquartile ranges, 15-30) and the median indwelling time of chest drainage was 2 days (interquartile ranges, 2-3). There were no postoperative complications over grade 3. During the median follow-up period of 38 months (interquartile ranges, 15-48), no recurrence of pneumothorax was observed. The results of this study demonstrated that simultaneous Viscum pleurodesis and VATS bullectomy provides a feasible and effective treatment option for preventing postoperative pneumothorax in patients with PSP.

Autologous blood pleurodesis for the treatment of postoperative air leaks. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative air leaks are a common complication after lung surgery. They are associated with prolonged hospital stay, increased postoperative pain and treatment costs. The treatment of prolonged air leaks remains controversial. Several treatments have been proposed including different types of sealants, chemical pleurodesis, or early surgical intervention. The aim of this review was to analyze the impact of autologous blood pleurodesis in a systematic way. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted until July 2020. Studies with more than five adult patients undergoing lung resections were included. Studies in patients receiving blood pleurodesis for pneumothorax were excluded. The search strategy included proper combinations of the MeSH terms "air leak", "blood transfusion" and "lung surgery". RESULTS: Ten studies with a total of 198 patients were included in the analysis. The pooled success rate for sealing the air leak within 48 h of the blood pleurodesis was 83.7% (95% CI: 75.7; 90.3). The pooled incidence of the post-interventional empyema was 1.5%, with a pooled incidence of post-interventional fever of 8.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence supports the idea that autologous blood pleurodesis leads to a faster healing of postoperative air leaks than conservative treatment. The complication rate is very low. Formal recommendations on how to perform the procedure are not possible with the current evidence. A randomized controlled trial in the modern era is necessary to confirm the benefits.

Neumotórax espontáneo / Spontaneous pneumothorax

Introducción: El neumotórax espontáneo es la causa más frecuente de ingreso urgente en los servicios de cirugía torácica. Objetivo: Caracterizar a pacientes ingresados con diagnóstico de neumotórax espontáneo. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de 93 pacientes con diagnóstico clínico y radiológico de neumotórax espontáneo, se establecieron las variables del estudio y se utilizaron frecuencias absolutas y porcentajes. Para la asociación de las variables se empleó el estadígrafo ji cuadrado con un nivel de confiabilidad del 95 por ciento. Resultados: Predominó el neumotórax espontáneo primario (65,5 por ciento), el sexo masculino fue el más afectado (80,6 por ciento), con mayor frecuencia en el hemitórax derecho (72,2 por ciento) y el tabaquismo como antecedente (83,9 por ciento). La pleurostomía mínima fue el tratamiento definitivo en el 72 por ciento de los pacientes. La complicación más frecuente después de la pleurostomía, fue la fuga persistente de aire. El tratamiento quirúrgico con pleurodesis mecánica, ofreció un 100 por ciento de efectividad. La mortalidad quirúrgica fue nula. Conclusiones: El neumotórax espontáneo predomina en el sexo masculino en una proporción de 4,2:1, en pacientes menores de 40 años de edad. El antecedente patológico personal que más se asocia es la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica. El síntoma predominante es el dolor torácico. El neumotórax espontáneo primario fue más frecuente y el hemitórax derecho el más afectado. El tabaquismo está presente como antecedente en ambos tipos de neumotórax espontáneo. La modalidad de tratamiento más utilizada es la pleurostomía mínima(AU)

Introduction: Spontaneous pneumothorax is the most frequent cause of urgent admission to thoracic surgery services. Objective: To characterize patients admitted with a diagnosis of spontaneous pneumothorax. Methods: A descriptive study of 93 patients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of spontaneous pneumothorax was carried out, the study variables were established and absolute frequencies and percentages were used. For the association of the variables, the chi square statistic was used with a confidence level of 95 percent. Results: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax predominated (65.5 percent), the male sex was the most affected (80.6 percent), with greater frequency in the right hemithorax (72.2 percent) and smoking as the antecedent (83.9 percent). Minimal pleurostomy was the definitive treatment in 72 percent of the patients. The most frequent complication after pleurostomy was persistent air leak. Surgical treatment with mechanical pleurodesis offered 100 percent effectiveness. There was not surgical mortality. Conclusions: Spontaneous pneumothorax predominated in males in a ratio of 4.2: 1, in patients under 40 years of age. The most associated personal pathological history was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The predominant symptom was chest pain. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax was more frequent and the right hemithorax the most affected. Smoking was present as a history in both types of spontaneous pneumothorax. The most widely used treatment modality was minimal pleurostomy(AU)

[Efficacy and safety of position selection combined with intra-pleural thrombin injection in the treatment of postoperative persistent air leakage in bullous pulmonary-pleural diseases].

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of position selection in combination with intra-pleural thrombin injection in the treatment of persistent air leakage (PAL) after medical thoracoscopic treatment of bullous pulmonary-pleural diseases (e.g. spontaneous pneumothorax or giant emphysematous bulla). Methods: This was a prospective study conducted in Rizhao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from August 2018 to November 2020. Twenty patients(19 males,1 female) with a mean age of (62.3±8.1) years met the diagnostic criteria for PAL which was defined as the air leak persisted more than 3 days despite of the closed thoracic drainage after medical thoracoscopic treatment of bullous pulmonary-pleural diseases.They received the following treatment procedures (referred to as "position plus"):①Pleural cavity injection (50% glucose 20 ml+thrombin 5 000 U).②Changing the patient's position under continuous negative pressure suction to find the position causing the complete stop or significant reduction of air leakage, and keeping in the position for 24-48 hours.③If the PAL wasn't stopped 48 hours later, the procedures above would be repeated.The duration of air leakage after "position plus", times of pleural cavity injection, condition of lung re-expansion, recurrence of air leakage and complications during hospitalization were recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results:¯x±s or M(P25, P75) for continuous variables; frequency and percentages for categoric variables. Results: A total of 20 patients were included. The average duration of air leakage after"position plus" was (1.32±0.97) days. The times of pleural cavity injection required were 1.0(1.0, 1.0).All the patients showed good lung re-expansion in review of imaging after PAL was stopped. One patient had recurrent air leakage during hospitalization. No serious complications occurred. Conclusion: The comprehensive "position plus" intervention method is effective, safe and easily operating for the treatment of PAL after medical thoracoscopic treatment of bullous pulmonary-pleural diseases.

The effectiveness and safety of local pleural anesthesia for pain control in patients undergoing CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of pleural anesthesia for CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy (TNB). METHODS: This retrospective study was performed between March 2019 and August 2019 in a tertiary care hospital. Patients undergoing CT-guided TNB received either (a) pleural and skin anesthesia (pleural anesthesia group) or (b) skin anesthesia only (skin anesthesia group). Pain score was reported on a 0-5 numeric rating scale, and pain scores 3-5 were classified as significant pain. The relationship between pleural anesthesia and pain score, significant pain, and pneumothorax was assessed by using multivariable linear and logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 111 patients (67 men, 66.0 ± 11.4 years) were included (pleural anesthesia group, 38; skin anesthesia group, 73). Pleural anesthesia group reported lower pain score (1.4 ± 1.0 vs. 2.3 ± 1.1, p < 0.001) and less frequent significant pain (18.4% [7/38] vs. 42.5% [31/73], p = 0.020) than skin anesthesia group. Pain score was negatively associated with pleural anesthesia (ß = -0.93, p < 0.001) and positively associated with procedure time (ß = 0.06, p < 0.001). Significant pain was negatively associated with pleural anesthesia (p = 0.004, adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.21 [95% confidence interval: 0.07, 0.61]) and positively associated with procedure time (p < 0.001, adjusted OR = 1.15 [95% confidence interval: 1.07, 1.24]). Pleural anesthesia was not associated with pneumothorax or chest tube placement (p = 0.806 and 0.291, respectively). CONCLUSION: Pleural anesthesia reduces subjective pain without increasing the risk of pneumothorax. KEY POINTS: • Local pleural anesthesia is a simple method that can be added to the conventional skin anesthesia for CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy. • The addition of local pleural anesthesia can effectively reduce pain compared to the conventional skin anesthesia method. • This procedure is not associated with an increased risk of pneumothorax or chest tube placement.

Prediction model of rhomboid major and pleura depth based on anthropometric features to decrease the risk of pneumothorax during dry needling.

BACKGROUND: Although most common adverse events associated with dry needling can be considered minor, serious adverse events including induced pneumothorax cannot be excluded, and safety instructions for reducing the risk of pleura puncture are needed. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if anthropometric features can predict the rhomboid major muscle and pleura depth in a sample of healthy subjects to avoid the risk of pneumothorax during dry needling. METHODS: A diagnostic study was conducted on 59 healthy subjects (52.5% male) involving a total of 236 measurements (both sides in maximum inspiration and expiration), to calculate the accuracy of a prediction model for both pleura and rhomboid depth, as assessed with ultrasound imaging, based on sex, age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), breathing and chest circumference. A correlation matrix and a multiple linear regression analyses were used to detect those variables contributing significantly to the variance in both locations. RESULTS: Men showed greater height, weight, BMI, thorax circumference and skin-to-rhomboid, rhomboid-to-pleura and skin-to-pleura distances (P < .001). Sex, BMI, and thorax circumference explained 51.5% of the variance of the rhomboid (P < .001) and 69.7% of pleura (P < .001) depth limit. In general, inserting a maximum length of 19 mm is recommended to reach the deep limit of rhomboid major decreasing the risk of passing through the pleura. CONCLUSION: This study identified that gender, BMI and thorax circumference can predict both rhomboid and pleura depth, as assessed with ultrasonography, in healthy subjects. Our findings could assist clinicians in the needle length election in avoiding the risk of induced pneumothorax during dry needling.

Bilateral pneumothorax after acupuncture treatment.

A 31-year-old female physician was diagnosed with bilateral pneumothorax a day after her acupuncture treatment. Her body mass index was 16.9 and she did not have a prior history of respiratory disease or smoking. Acupuncture needles may easily reach the pleura around the end of the suprascapular angle of the levator scapulae muscle where the subcutaneous tissue is anatomically thin. In our patient, the thickness between the epidermis and the visceral pleura in this area was only 22 mm as confirmed by an ultrasound scan. Although she felt chest discomfort 30 min after the procedure, she assumed the symptom to be a reaction to the acupuncture. In light of our case, we advise practitioners to select appropriate acupuncture needles for patients based on the site of insertion and counsel them regarding the appearance of symptoms such as chest pain and dyspnoea immediately after the procedure.