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Cureus
. 2021 Apr 19;13(4):e14567.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.14567.
COVID-Induced Spontaneous Pneumothoraxes: Case Series
Sherif Elkattawy 1 , Sarah Ayad 1 , Islam Younes 1 , Zamir Singh 2 , Ramez Alyacoub 1 , Michael L Brescia 3
Affiliations
- PMID: 34026383
- PMCID: PMC8133774
- DOI: 10.7759/cureus.14567
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a communicable disease leading to COVID-19 infection that resulted in worldwide flooding of medical centers with the shortage of ventilators in some areas. The respiratory system is the most affected by the novel virus. Clinical manifestations are diverse in severity, with the most common symptoms including fever, chills, cough, and shortness of breath. The contributing factor to the morbidity and mortality associated with this virus is the rapid clinical deterioration as a result of a heightened inflammatory response, requiring supplemental oxygen. Pneumothorax is an unusual complication that may further worsen the hypoxia and require immediate intervention. We present a case series of two patients with no risk factors for pneumothorax besides recent COVID-19 infection, who were found to have spontaneous pneumothoraxes.
Keywords: covid-19; pleural blebs; pneumothorax.