ABSTRACT
Conclusions 494 References 495
Etiology, diagnosis, and management of spontaneous pneumothorax, which is subdivided into primary and secondary subtypes, remain highly controversial topics and for most diagnostic and therapeutic interventions no large randomized controlled trials have been performed.1 For this reason only general recommendations can be given. As well the British oracic Society (BTS) as the American College of
Chest Physicians (ACCP) published consensus reports on pneumothorax in which the British society favors a more conservative approach, also in their most recent update.2-5 Within the Belgian Society of Pneumology, a working group on pneumothorax was created that nished a report on the management of spontaneous pneumothorax in 2005 based on the literature available at that time.6-8 Some additional evidence became available, which is incorporated in the present chapter. Very recently, a task force of the European Respiratory Society comprising pulmonary physicians and
● Management of spontaneous pneumothorax remains controversial due to lack of large randomized controlled trials.
