Pneumothorax and Pneumomedistinum in Term or Near-Term Neonates without Underlying Pulmonary Diseases

Abstract

Background Aims: The incidence of spontaneous pneumothorax in term infants was 0.05 ∽ 1% in all live births. But, the causes and risk factors are not completely understood. We investigated the risk factors for the clinical characteristics of term and near-term newborns with spontaneous symptomatic pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum and compared the clinical characteristics and the severity of disease for pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum between spontaneous group and associated lung diseases group except RDS.Methods: During 2001-2009, All 28 term and near-term pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum patients infants without RDS, pneumonia, congenital pulmonary anomaly and initial ventilator care patients were treated. 13 of all patients were spontaneous pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum without underlying pulmonary disease(patient group). And remaining 15 pneumothorax patients associated with meconium or amniotic fluid aspiration, TTN initially (control group).Results: Pneumothorax of patient group occurred more frequently in right side than pneumothorax with control group(76.9% vs 60.0%). Gestational age(37+5±1 vs.38+6±1weeks) and initial pneumothorax finding time(14.1±30.7 vs.24.9±20.5hr) of patient group were earlier than control group. Otherwise, there were similar findings between groups.Conclusions: Spontaneous pneumothorax in term neonates occurred more frequently in right side than pneumothorax with associated lung diseases. But, there were no significant differences of perinatal and clinical characteristics in both groups statistically except location of pneumothorax.