Spontaneous pneumothorax induced by high altitude: A case report

Abstract

Introduction. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax is an infrequent condition which requires emergency medical treatment. Nowadays, due to hiking and tourism, many people reach high altitudes in a hypobaric hypoxia environment. These hypoxic conditions can be tolerated if one is exposed to low oxygen pressure, leading to a sequence of physiological responses. Occasionally, hypoxia causes maladaptive responses which leads to different forms of high altitude diseases. Case Report. We report a case of a 49-year-old man, a former professional athlete, passionate about hiking and still physically active. He was admitted to our Emergency Department with short breath and a chest X-ray revealed a large right sided pneumothorax which was successfully treated with tube drainage. Conclusion. Although primary spontaneous pneumothorax is a rare condition, it should be suspected during physical examination. Therefore, physicians should be prepared to recognize it, especially paying attention to all hikers and high-altitude travelers in order to avoid possible risks for high-altitude sickness.