Which patients are at risk? Evaluation of the morbility and mortality in newborn pneumothorax.

This study was conducted to evaluate the morbidity and mortality among the newborns hospitalized for pneumothorax. The data of 83 cases were analysed retrospectively according to gestational age, weight, underlying primary lung pathology, age of admittance, side of pneumothorax, drainage time, need for mechanical ventilation and mortality. Male: Female ratio was 1.6:1. Mean duration of admission was 63.8 hours (2 hours-20 days). 51 patients (61.4%) weighed les than 2500g and 41 patients (49.4%) were preterms. The mean weight was 2280 g (640-5170). Fifty one patients (61.4%) needed mechanical ventilation. The pnemothorax was on the right in 44 (53%), left in 21 (25.7%) and bilateral in 18 patients (21.7%). Overall 32 babies died. Among the non-survivors, 22 (68%) were preterm and there was a defined underlying lung pathology in 24 (75%). Twenty nine (90.6%) of them needed mechanical ventilation. The difference in mortality was significant in the presence of primary lung disease, low birth weight, prematurity and use of mechanical ventilation (P <005).