Pulmonary Function in Patients who have Recovered from Spontaneous Pneumothorax

¹ Department of Medicine and Unit for Research in Aging, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Chest Service, Department of Medicine, Bronx Municipal Hospital Center

In order to learn whether spontaneous pneumothorax reflects the presence of pulmonary emphysema, pulmonary function studies were performed on 14 healthy patients who had recovered from spontaneous pneumothorax. Only one of the patients revealed physiologic evidence of pulmonary emphysema: reduced diffusing capacity, high compliance and reduced retractive force of the lungs in association with reduced expiratory flow rates. He was totally asymptomatic. Tests of pulmonary function in the remainder of the patients were normal or slightly impaired, suggesting the presence of poorly-ventilated portions of lung and minimal pulmonary fibrosis.