Spontaneous Pneumothorax in Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia: Interventional Treatment and Risk of Transmission

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), or Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a highly contagious and rapidly-spreading disease. While pneumonia is a common finding, pleural space involvement, such as pneumothorax, occurs only in rare cases. Pneumothorax requires the immediate insertion of a chest tube. Thoracostomy procedures require prompt and precise management, but with caution to avoid the risk of transmission. We report here on a 49-year-old male patient who was admitted to the emergency ward with shortness of breath and oxygen desaturation. A physical examination and portable chest X-ray indicated a left pneumothorax. The patient underwent tracheal intubation followed by chest tube insertion, and the lungs inflated two hours after the procedure. The operators included two people, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), including N95 masks, full eye protection, a face shield and a fluid-resistant gown. Two weeks following chest tube insertion, the operators underwent a SARS-CoV2 PCR examination, with negative results. This report discusses relevant findings in literature related to the current issue.