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Case Reports
. 2023 Dec 25;15(12):e51081.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.51081. eCollection 2023 Dec.

A Case of Bilateral Pneumothorax With COVID-19 Infection

Andrew J Bergeron  1 , Chinenye Emeshiobi  2 , Nkolika Nwankwo  2 , Mohankumar Doraiswamy  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Case of Bilateral Pneumothorax With COVID-19 Infection

Andrew J Bergeron et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax is a serious complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The incidence of any spontaneous pneumothorax in patients with the aforementioned viral infection when hospitalized is about 1%. Treatment can involve management such as oxygen support, tube thoracostomy, pleurodesis, or even invasive surgery. The associated mortality with this complication is about 33% to 52%. We present a case of bilateral pneumothorax in a patient diagnosed with COVID-19 without any history of smoking or underlying lung disease. Careful vigilance and close monitoring of this serious complication are mandatory in inpatients.

Keywords: acute respiratory distress syndrome; bilateral pneumothorax; covid-19; respiratory failure; spontaneous pneumothorax.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. CT angiography of the chest showing scattered patchy ground glass opacities in bilateral lung fields.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Repeat CT angiography of the chest showing bilateral pneumothorax with right greater than left.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Chest radiograph showing a significant right pneumothorax.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Chest radiograph showing bilateral pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and extensive subcutaneous emphysema in the neck and chest wall.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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