If an area of the lung wall is thin and abnormal (blebs or bullaes), air may leak into the pleural cavity and collapse the lung. The pleural cavity is the space between the lung and the rib cage. When air collects into this space and the lung starts to collapse, the patient may experience chest pain and breathlessness. This condition is known as pneumothorax.
Chest pain and Breathlessness
Treatment for pneumothorax usually involves inserting a needle or chest tube between the ribs to remove the excess air. However, a small pneumothorax may heal on its own.
If pneumothorax is severe or recurrent, surgery can be performed to remove the blebs or bullaes and re-expand the lung.
