Spontaneous Pneumothorax: Experience from a Peripheral Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital Of West Bengal, India

Abstract

Background: Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) is one of the common acute chest problems encountered in day to day clinical practice. Clinico-epidemiological profile of SP is less well studied in Indian scenario. Objective: to describe sociodemographic correates of pneumothorax, to study the clinical profile and medical causes of SP. Method And Materials: a cross sectional descriptive study involving seventy six SP patients treated in inpatient-department of Pulmonary and General Medicine of Bankura Sammilani Medical College & Hospital, West Bengal, India during January 2011 to December 2013 was carried out. Information pertaining to sociodemographics, previous morbidity etc. was gathered by interview using a predesigned and pretested questionnaire. Cinical features of the present morbidity (SP) and its medical causes were established by clinical examination including anthropometry as well as relevant laboratory investigations. Data regarding the treatment modality and the final outcome were also collected. Results: A bimodal age distribution was found with 1st peak between 21 – 30 years and 2nd peak in the age group of 61 years and above. Overall male to female ratio was 6.6:1. Among 76 patients, 16 (21.05 percent) had primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) and 60 (79.95 percent) patients had secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP). Majority (46.6percent) of SSP cases had COPD as underlying cause. TB was found to contribute 40.0 percent of SSP cases. PSP occurs more in tall, thin young male smokers and amongst the individuals engaged skilled jobs with comparatively less strenous occupations. Conclusion: SP is more common among men with marked predominance of SSP. PSP occurs more in tall, thin young male smokers. The most frequent underlying causes of SSP were COPD and TB.