Etiology-Based Differences in Clinical Presentation and Management of Pneumothorax: A Retrospective Study
Objective: Pneumothorax is a common thoracic emergency that may present as primary spontaneous, secondary spontaneous, or traumatic pneumothorax. This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics, treatment approaches, and outcomes of different pneumothorax subtypes.
Methods: This retrospective single-center study included adult patients diagnosed with pneumothorax between March 2024 and March 2025. Patients with incomplete records, repeated admissions, or pregnancy were excluded. Demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, treatment modalities, comorbidities, complications, and laboratory findings were analyzed. Patients were classified as primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP), or traumatic pneumothorax. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05.
Results: A total of 154 patients were included: 44 (28.6%) with PSP, 35 (22.7%) with SSP, and 75 (48.7%) with traumatic pneumothorax. Patients with SSP were significantly older than those with PSP (66.5 vs. 41.2 years, P<0.001). Male predominance was observed in all groups (81.8%, 91.4%, and 82.7%, respectively). Dyspnea was more frequent in SSP (88.6%, P=0.029), whereas chest pain was most common in traumatic pneumothorax (94.7%, P=0.023). COPD was strongly associated with SSP (88.6%, P<0.001). Chest tube insertion was the most common treatment modality (72.7%, 80.0%, and 70.7% in PSP, SSP, and traumatic pneumothorax, respectively). Rib fractures (53.3%, P<0.001) and hemothorax (18.7%, P=0.001) were more frequent in traumatic pneumothorax.
Conclusion: PSP predominantly affected younger patients, whereas SSP was strongly associated with advanced age and COPD. Traumatic pneumothorax was frequently accompanied by rib fractures and hemothorax. These findings support an etiology-based approach to pneumothorax management and may contribute to more individualized treatment strategies.
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Article Information
- Article Type Research Article
- Submitted March 18, 2026
- Accepted June 3, 2026
- Published August 1, 2026
- Issue Forthcoming Issue: Volume 12 - Issue 8 (August 2026)
- Section Research Article
- Categories
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
