Description and Possible Medical Problems
If you suddenly become short of breath and at the same time have a sharp pain in the chest that doesn’t disappear, you should call your doctor immediately. These symptoms may mean that in the outer lining of one of your lungs you have an air bubble—called a pleb—that has burst, causing the lung to collapse in a matter of a minute or so.
Frequently, a burst air bubble and collapsed lung occur in people over 60 who have emphysema, since the disease causes plebs to form. At other times, especially in a person who’s in the 40s or 50s, the lung can collapse because of a congenital defect in the lung.
Treatment
If your lung has collapsed due to a burst air bubble, you will be hospitalized, and your doctor will place a tube called a chest tube into the lung in order to expand it. The procedure is done under local anesthesia, and the tube will probably remain in place for several days. You will recover fully, and the chances are good that you won’t be bothered by burst air bubbles again.
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