Open AccessPneumothorax in neuromuscular disease associated with lung volume recruitment and mechanical insufflation‐exsufflation
Author(s) -
McDonald Luke Andrew,
Berlowitz David John,
Howard Mark Erskine,
Rautela Linda,
Chao Caroline,
Sheers Nicole
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
respirology case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 9
ISSN - 2051-3380
DOI - 10.1002/rcr2.447
Subject(s) - medicine , exsufflation , pneumothorax , insufflation , neuromuscular disease , chest radiograph , mechanical ventilation , anesthesia , surgery , duchenne muscular dystrophy , disease , radiography
A 25‐year‐old male with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and a 73‐year‐old male with motor neurone disease both presented with chest pain and increasing dyspnoea following routine mechanical insufflation‐exsufflation or lung volume recruitment, on a background of long‐term non‐invasive ventilation. In each case, chest radiograph revealed a pneumothorax. In both cases the pneumothorax fully resolved following insertion of an intercostal catheter. There was no immediate recurrence and the patients were discharged home and ceased ongoing prophylactic respiratory therapy, although one person had recurrent pneumothoraces subsequently. This rare but serious complication highlights the need for careful risk/benefit analysis by clinicians prescribing these therapies.