Clinical Characteristics of Cases Developing Neonatal Pneumothorax: 10 Years of Experience

Aim: Pneumothorax is a serious emergency condition that increases mortality and morbidity due to the accumulation of air between the visceral and parietal pleura layers. Neonatal pneumothorax is more frequently encountered in neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units. It is known that the most important risk factors are prematurity and ventilation with a bag mask. Material and Method: Forty-two pneumothorax cases followed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were included in our study. The characteristics, risk factors, treatment methods and prognoses of the cases were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Twenty eight of the cases (66.67%) were male, and Pneumothorax developed within the first 3 days of life in 41 cases (97.61%). Nineteen cases (45.24%) were premature, 16 cases (38.10%) underwent resuscitation at birth, and 15 cases (35.71%) received surfactant therapy. An intercostal chest tube was placed for treatment in 34 cases (80.95%), and invasive mechanical ventilation was required in 33 cases (78.57%). Thirty six cases (85.71%) were regained the health, while those who passed away were found to be more premature. Conclusion: In our study, prematurity, resuscitation at birth, and surfactant therapy were identified as risk factors for neonatal pneumothorax. Newborns with these risk factors should be closely monitored, and neonatal pneumothorax should be kept in mind if respiratory distress develops.