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21st February 2025
Definitions
Pneumothorax is normally categorised by the underlying cause, as this determines management.
| Spontaneous | Primary spontaneous | No identifiable underlying lung disease or precipitating event |
| Secondary spontaneous | Underlying lung disease present but no identifiable trigger | |
| Traumatic | Iatrogenic | Resulting as complication of medical intervention |
| Non-iatrogenic traumatic | Resulting from non-medical trauma (penetrating > blunt force) | |
Table 8 Categorising pneumothorax
The most common cause of an iatrogenic pneumothorax is central line insertion. Other causes include lung biopsy, thoracocentesis and mechanical ventilation.
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