Hemopneumothorax: What Is It?
Ahem, it’s not easy to explain what is hemopneumothorax. Ahem, it’s hard to understand. Ahem, I don’t even want to think about it! Well let me try my best to tell you everything that you need to know about hemopneumothorax.
The word “hemp” means “to breathe”. So if you are breathing in your lungs, then you have hemopneumothorax. You might say that it’s like having a lung full of air trapped inside your body.
Or maybe it’s like being stuck with a balloon filled with helium gas.
If so, then the problem is called “hypoxia”. And the solution is called “oxygenation”.
What Causes Hemopneumothorax?
You may wonder why you would get a blood clot in your lungs when there is plenty of oxygenated blood circulating around your body. There are several reasons why you could experience this situation. But the most common reason is due to an infection or other condition which causes excess production of carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide builds up in the body and eventually leads to death. However, it can also lead to a condition known as “Pneumotorscopy”.
Pneumotorscopy is a condition in which you have too much carbon dioxide in your blood. The excess CO2 builds up in your chest and pushes on your lungs. This causes the lung to become stiff and rigid.
And it prevents the lungs from fully expanding and functioning correctly. Instead of being filled with air, they are now filled with blood.
How Is It Treated?
Ahem, the best way to treat this condition is by placing a tube into the chest. This tube is called a “chesttube”. The chest tube can be connected to a machine which will take out the excess air and blood from the chest. This machine is called an “oxygenator machine”.
What Are The Complications?
The main complication of a hemopneumothorax is death. Air and blood do not contain enough oxygen to maintain life for very long. If you experience a hemopneumothorax, it is essential to seek medical help as soon as possible!
Other complications of a hemopneumothorax may include heart failure, respiratory failure, or brain damage from lack of oxygen. If untreated, death is inevitable.
How Can I Prevent It?
Accidents happen all the time. And sometimes you can’t do anything to prevent them from happening. But you can always take certain measures to prevent accidents from becoming worse. This is known as “accident prevention”. If you are smart and pay attention to what you are doing, accidents are less likely to happen in the first place.
Here are some helpful tips to prevent a hemopneumothorax from developing in the first place:
Always be sure to wear your seat belt while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Never smoke, and avoid people or places where people are smoking. If you suffer from asthma or some other lung disease, try your best to avoid second hand smoke as well.
Avoid exposure to second hand fumes, such as gasoline, paint thinner, or other toxic fumes.
Do not use any equipment which has been poorly maintained. This includes using power tools without goggles and other safety equipment.
Never abuse your body by doing stupid things such as taking hot showers or baths, drinking hot tea or coffee, eating very spicy foods, etc.
Don’t exercise within two hours of bedtime, or at least don’t engage in activities that make you sweat a lot (such as jogging).
Always do periodic safety checks on vehicles before hitting the road. Make sure there are no faulty tires, and always wear your seat belt.
Make sure any generators you use are situated at least three feet away from any flammable materials such as curtains, furniture, appliances with plastic parts, or anything that is able to burn. Also make sure there are no sparks or flame anywhere in the area.
If you have a severe cold or the flu, try your best to rest as much as you can.
And always remember, safety first!
Is there anything else I need to know about a hemopneumothorax?
Yes, one more thing. A hemopneumothorax can sometimes be successfully treated without any medical intervention at all.
How is this possible? Well, have you ever heard of the “Colorado cowboy” or “Texas Ranger” method of treating a snake bite?
That’s right, you just go ahead and cut the bitten area of the body open to let the venom out.
In the case of a hemopneumothorax, you would need to make a small incision in the area of the chest where the ribs are located called the “mediastinum”. This allows air to escape, and the pressure is reduced. This intervention is very successful if performed in a timely manner, but it can sometimes be very dangerous to perform, so you would probably want to seek medical help first.
If performed properly though, this operation will definitely save a life!
