NREMT Paramedic Practice

What is another term for a simple pneumothorax?

1. Open pneumothorax

2. Closed pneumothorax

3. Half-pneumothorax

4. Partial pneumothorax

The correct answer is: Closed pneumothorax

A simple pneumothorax is more accurately referred to as a closed pneumothorax. This term indicates that the lung has been punctured, but air has not entered the pleural space from outside the body, such as through an open wound. In a closed pneumothorax, the cause can often be due to spontaneous events like the rupture of a bleb on the lung surface or trauma that does not create an external wound, allowing air to accumulate within the pleural space and potentially collapse the lung without an external opening. This terminology helps medical professionals differentiate between various types of pneumothorax based on their mechanisms and the implications they have on treatment and management. An open pneumothorax, for example, involves air entering the pleural space from outside the body due to a penetrating injury, which is a separate entity that requires a different approach. The other terms, such as half-pneumothorax and partial pneumothorax, are not commonly accepted in medical terminology for describing pneumothorax conditions, thus making closed pneumothorax the correct term to use in this context.