Help, My Lung is Trapped! – A Case Report

Abstract

Trapped lung is defined as the inability of the lung to expand fully and fill up the thoracic cavity because of a restricting fibrous visceral pleural layer preventing apposition of visceral and parietal pleura. It is a sequela of a previous inflammation of the pleural space and has variety of causes. Chest radiograph and thoracic ultrasound is the key imaging modalities for the diagnosis usually with a history of preceding pleural drainage. Typical imaging features include visceral pleural peel, basal pneumothoraces, ipsilateral volume loss and lobar atelectasis. Management aims at relief of symptoms and enabling full lung re-expansion. It is usually associated with high morbidity, therefore identifying patients with trapped lung is crucial for early treatment and positive patient outcomes. We present a case of trapped lung of a patient with previous history of pulmonary tuberculosis and chronic right pneumothorax.