Case Study of Pneumothorax in a 27-year-old Male as a Possible Post- COVID 19 Infection Complication

Abstract

Spontaneous Pneumothorax is a potentially life-threatening condition that is brought on when air makes its way into the pleural spaces resulting in decreased negative pressure between the pleural membranes without trauma or injury occurring. Spontaneous pneumothorax was reported as an adverse complication of severe acute respiratory syndrome brought on by SARS-COV-2. It is thought spontaneous pneumothorax may be a consequence of the breakdown of elastic fibers within the lung tissue. This breakdown is believed to be caused by the body’s own immune response in particular by innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) which have been shown to be elevated in response to intracellular pathogens like viruses, but additional research is needed to clearly state a causal relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and the immune-mediated formation of pneumothorax. Limited studies look at the link between the pathophysiology of Pneumothorax and COVID-19, which is why the patient from this case is of interest. We present a unique case of a 27-year-old male presenting to the Emergency Department complaining of difficulty breathing, chest pain, and fatigue who had prior tested positive for COVID-19. A diagnosis of pneumothorax was made by chest x-ray. In this report, we discuss the pathophysiology, imaging, and management related to pneumothorax and its connection to COVID-19.