Background: Pneumothorax, the accumulation of air in the pleural cavity, can be classified as traumatic, iatrogenic or spontaneous (SP). SP can be further subdivided into primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), a condition without preexisting lung disease, or secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) which is a complication of a preexisting lung disease. Our goal was to explore the epidemiology of SP and the efficacy of the different treatment modalities for SSP.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study to investigate the epidemiology and treatment of SP in a young population hospitalized in a tertiary center, was performed by means of a search in the digital archive of Sheba Medical Center for hospitalized patients (
Results: No significant change was demonstrated regarding the percentage of patients operated and recurrence rates, after operative versus non-operative treatment. Female gender showed an increased risk of SSP when having SP (OR 2.19), this ratio was higher the younger the population (OR 6.43 among pediatric population). Asthma was the most prevalent disease causing SSP in young people. The recurrence risk for SSP after non-operative treatment was significantly higher.
Conclusions: We show that among the pediatric population, when a female has SP, we recommend to look for a primary lung disease. Operation should be considered as a first treatment for SSP. Further studies are needed to determine the risk factors and produce clear guidelines regarding surgical intervention as first treatment for spontaneous pneumothorax.
