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Case Reports
. 2020 Sep 9;20(1):662.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-020-05384-x.

The coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia with spontaneous pneumothorax: a case report

Xiaoxing Chen  1 , Guqin Zhang  2 , Yueting Tang  3 , Zhiyong Peng  4 , Huaqin Pan  5
Affiliations
Case Reports

The coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia with spontaneous pneumothorax: a case report

Xiaoxing Chen et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: The outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) that was firstly reported in Wuhan, China, with cases now confirmed in more than 100 countries. However, COVID-19 pneumonia with spontaneous pneumothorax is unknown.

Case presentation: We reported a case of 66-year-old man infected with COVID-19, presenting with fever, cough and myalgia; The patient received supportive and empirical treatment including antiviral treatment, anti-inflammatory treatment, oxygen supply and inhalation therapy; The symptoms, CT images, laboratory results got improved after the treatments, and a throat swab was negative for COVID-19 PCR test; However, on the hospital day 30, the patient presented with a sudden chest pain and dyspnea. CT showed a 30-40% left-sided pneumothorax. Immediate thoracic closed drainage was performed and his dyspnea was rapidly improved. With five more times negative PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 virus, the patient was discharged and home quarantine.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance for clinicians to pay attention to the appearance of spontaneous pneumothorax, especially patients with severe pulmonary damage for a long course, as well as the need for early image diagnose CT and effective treatment once pneumothorax occurs.

Keywords: COVID-19; Pneumonia; Pneumothorax; SARS-CoV-2 virus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they do not have any competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Timeline of disease course according to days from symptom onset, days from admission, and days of follow-up. from Jan 18-Mar 17, 2020. NIMV, non-invasive mechanical ventilation
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
High-resolution computed tomography images during the disease course. a. ground-glass opacities (GGO) in the basal segment of the right lower lobe; b. multiple patchy ground-glass shadows in the lower lobe of both lungs. c. chest X-ray image before and after treatment in ICU. d. Emergent chest CT scan showed a 30–40% left-sided pneumothorax, and partially reexpansion of the left lung after treatment. e. gradual abortion of lung lesions during follow-up
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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