A collapsed lung, or pneumothorax, occurs when all or part of a
lung collapses or caves inward. This occurs when air gets in the
area between the lung and chest wall. When this happens the lung
cannot fill up with air, breathing becomes hard, and the body gets
less oxygen. A collapsed lung can occur spontaneously in a healthy
person or in someone who has lungs compromised by trauma, asthma,
bronchitis, or emphysema.
Review Date: 07/08/2009
Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason
Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, Clinic. Also reviewed by David
Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
