A 24-year-old tall, thin man presents with acute onset pleuritic chest pain and breathlessness. Chest X-ray shows a right-sided primary spontaneous pn...

Question

A 24-year-old tall, thin man presents with acute onset pleuritic chest pain and breathlessness. Chest X-ray shows a right-sided primary spontaneous pneumothorax with a 3 cm rim of air between lung margin and chest wall at the level of the hilum. He is haemodynamically stable and minimally breathless. What is the most appropriate initial management?

Accepted Answer

Needle aspiration of the pneumothorax

Answer

Immediate chest drain insertion

Answer

High-flow oxygen and discharge without follow-up

Answer

Immediate thoracotomy

Answer

No treatment is required for this size of pneumothorax

uk-plab-1 MCQ (SBA): Primary spontaneous pneumothorax