The 34-year-old eventually had to have part of his right lung removed.
- Pneumothorax is a pathology of the lungs, localized in the pleura.
- Several treatments exist, depending on the severity of the pneumothorax: rest, analgesics, installation of a drain or surgery.
A case study published in the BMJ case report makes a link between the development of a serious pneumothorax in a top athlete and the daily use of electronic cigarettes.
No family history of lung disease
In October 2019, a 34-year-old Caucasian man presented to his GP with back pain. He also suffered from dizziness, as well as a feeling of shortness of breath and tightness in the chest, with pronounced pain in the right side. The symptoms had started the day before, after a measured effort.
The patient reported no family history of lung disease, nor any particular health problem. A nurse in palliative care, he was also a top athlete, devoting his free time to bodybuilding and competition. Ex heavy smoker (about 20 cigarettes a day from 21 to 31 years old), the young man had decided to switch to the electronic cigarette three years before the manifestation of the first symptoms described above, in order to get rid of his addiction. “He reported a pattern of regular, deep, and slow inhalation of the vaping device throughout the day, similar to that of smoking conventional cigarettes,” complete the doctors. “He never smoked or vaped cannabis,” say the scientists.
“Vaping is an emerging cause of lung injury”
This last element is important, because the appearance of pneumotorax in young adults is generally linked to cannabis use. In this specific case, the chest X-ray revealed a large pneumothorax on the right side. The scan also showed the presence of “bubbles” in the lungs, and a “mild alveolitis”. The patient ultimately had to undergo apical lung resection (i.e. surgical removal of a non-anatomical segment of the lung).
“Vaping is an emerging cause of lung injury”, emphasize the doctors, who identify at least 6 similar situations. “As we expect more cases of pneumothorax to be reported in relation to vaping, we tell our story, and advocate for standardized studies of this association to be conducted”conclude the doctors.
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