Association between Pneumothorax and Deaths among Damascus Hospital Patients

Abstract

AbstractBackground Pneumothorax is a major source of morbidity and mortality in Syria, although there is little information on the etiology, clinical profile, therapy, and outcome of pneumothorax in recent years. Method The patients in this retrospective observational study with the diagnosis of pneumothorax were seen over the course of a year at Damascus hospital. From hospital records, demographic, clinical, radiological, and therapeutic information were gathered and analysed. Results Out of 112 patients, 90.2% were male and 9.8% were females, with the majority, 23.2%, falling between the ages of 20 and 30. 65.2% of the patients were smokers. Patients had spontaneous pneumothorax 58%, secondary pneumothorax 23.2%, tension pneumothorax 7.1%, traumatic pneumothorax 6.3%, and recurrent pneumothorax 5.4%. The pneumothorax was in the right side in 29.5% of patients, in the left side in 25.9%, and bilaterally in 5.4%. Furthermore, 72.7% of patients with secondary pneumothorax died. Patients with bilateral pneumothorax were the most likely to die (66.7%). 93.9% of patients healed significantly after having a chest drainage placed on them. Conclusion Our findings indicate that pneumothorax is more common in men. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax is more common than secondary pneumothorax, and pneumonia and COPD were the most common causes of secondary pneumothorax, followed by Muti organ failure.