| Pneumothorax (Free Air Between Visceral and Parietal Pleurae) | Hemothorax (Blood in Pleural Space) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cause | Spontaneous—air enters without trauma; rupture of bleb (vesicle) on pleura; non–life threatening Traumatic—open chest wound: life threatening; closed chest wound—usually non–life threatening unless untreated Tension—air cannot escape via route of entry; causes atelectasis | Blunt trauma (assaults, falls) Penetrating trauma (knives, gunshot wounds) |
| Assessment Findings | Minimal to sudden onset; sharp chest pain; dyspnea; cough; hypotension; tachypnea; tachycardia; mediastinal shift (tracheal deviation) | Asymptomatic or pleuritic pain and dyspnea; decreased or absent breath sounds; often discovered during chest x-ray; in severe cases: shock |