HPI: 55yo female, hx significant for COPD not on any home in | Figure 1

Case Analysis

Patient Information

• Age: 55
• Gender: Female
• Medical History: Significant for COPD, not on any home inhalers or O2

Presenting Complaint

• Sudden onset shortness of breath (SOB) after coughing while in the shower.

Physical Examination (PE)

• Normotensive
• Mildly tachycardic and tachypneic
• Saturating well on 2L nasal cannula (NC)
• Decreased breath sounds on the right
• Mild wheezing
• Mild accessory muscle use

Chest X-Ray (CXR)

• Visual diagnosis: Pneumothorax (PTX)

Treatment

• Bedside chest tube inserted
• Follow-up CXR showing lung expansion
• Patient reported prompt symptomatic improvement

Images

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