21st February 2025

A 23-year-old man presents to A&E with a primary spontaneous pneumothorax which requires a chest drain.

A 23-year-old man presents to A&E with a primary spontaneous pneumothorax which requires a chest drain. He responds well to this management and is discharged a few days later. He mentions on discharge that he has a diving holiday to Sri Lanka booked in a few weeks’ time and has been told by a friend that the pneumothorax may cause problems with his insurance, so he asks the medical team for advice.

What advice should be given to the patient with regard to underwater diving following a pneumothorax?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.