Role of Percutaneous Needle Aspiration in the Management of Pneumothorax

Abstract

To assess the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous needle aspirations in the management of pneumothorax and to see the difference in the outcome of needle aspirations as determined by size of pneumothorax. The study included patients presenting with pneumothorax admitted to chest unit from January 2002 to July 2003. patients with tension penumothorax, hydro-pneumothorax and recurrent penumothorax were excluded from the study. It wa a non intervention descriptive study. The procedure was deemed successful if after aspiration the lung expansion was normal or near normal. Percutaneous needle aspiration is safe, effective and minimally invasive procedure. it can be used as a first line procedure in manajging primary spontaneous pneumothorax. The outcome of the procedure is influenced by the size of pneumothorax; the smaller the pneumothorax better is the outcome of needle aspiration.