What is the clinical presentation of pneumatocele?

Condition analysis:
Pneumatocoeles are typically asymptomatic and, if secondary to pneumonia, remain visible after septic symptoms have resolved 1. Occasionally pneumatoceles become large enough to compress adjacent lung and the mediastinum enough to cause respiratory or cardiovascular symptoms.

Secondary infection may occur resulting in features of chest sepsis.

Instructions:
Surgical Care: Pneumatoceles almost never require surgical resection. As mentioned above, percutaneous catheter drainage of a pneumatocele that involves more than 50% of hemithorax with severe atelectasis, tension pneumatocele, bronchopleural fistula, or an infected pneumatocele is rarely required. Recently, video-assisted thoracoscopy has been used successfully to treat enlarging multicystic pneumatoceles.

Traumatic pneumatoceles commonly resolve with observation without additional therapy. Indications for surgical intervention with a traumatic pneumatocele are similar to those of a postinfectious pneumatocele (ie, development of tension pneumatoceles, a secondary infection of the pneumatocele, and cardiovascular compromise).