COVID 19 AND SPONTANEOUS PNEUMOTHORAX, RETROSPECTIVE CASE SERIES

Abstract

COVID-19 Sars Co V2 or Corona Virus disease is a highly infectious multisystem disease with severe acute lung injury leading to ARDS and respiratory failure as its main complication. Spontaneous pneumothorax is a complication which is though uncommon but could be life threatening and hence carries poor prognosis. We hereby describe a series of six cases of spontaneous pneumothorax which were seen in Bahria International Hospital COVID management unit during last 3 months of COVID-19 surge in Lahore These cases indicate that multiple factors are associated with development of spontaneous pneumothorax in COVID-19 pneumonia patients but main role is played by the increased inflammatory response and can be regarded as a potential underlying mechanism of pneumothorax in such patients, leading to acute decompensation and worsening of respiratory failure and poor outcome.