Pneumothorax

Abstract

Many physicians avoid the admittedly useful technique of intercostal nerve -block because of the supposedly high incidence of pneumothorax. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not silent forms of pneumothorax follow intercostal nerve block and to evaluate the over-all incidence of pneumothorax after this procedure. In the present study roentgenograms of 200 consecutive patients revealed one silent pneumothorax. In a previous study of 4,333 patients there had been 4 cases of symptomatic pneumothorax. The conclusions from this study were (1) that with direct personal supervision physicians can learn to perform intercostal block satisfactorily, (2) that it should be taught in teaching programs, and (3) that the possibility of pneumothorax after intercostal nerve block is not a substantial argument against its general routine use.