PMC5018089_01
Initial chest x-ray showing pneumothorax with blebs.
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The patient's presenting symptoms and prior history prompted chest x-ray imaging which revealed a large right pneumothorax with partial collapse of right lung and mild mediastinal shift (Fig. 1).
Worsened pneumothorax after long walk.
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Repeat chest x-ray showed a marked right tension pneumothorax with near complete collapse of right lung (Fig. 2).
Blebs seen more clearly after resuming suction with improved pneumothorax.
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The chest tube was put back to wall suction with improved expansion on follow-up chest x-ray (Fig. 3).
Computed tomography (CT) showing blebs.
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Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a persistent right-sided pneumothorax, despite good position of apical pigtail catheter, and apical blebs (Fig. 4).
Video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) showing blebs.
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He underwent a right video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) therapeutic lung wedge resection of the right upper lobe with mechanical pleurodesis (Fig. 5).