Advice on air evacuation after pneumothorax?

[Ronald Gross]

Mike,

I think this indeed qualifies as an urban legend.  I know of no literature, including hyperbaric literature, that supports the assertion that on cannot fly for several weeks after a pneumothorax requiring a chest tube.  

If I am wrong, would anyone care to educate me on this?

Ron

>>> "Sise, Mike MD" <Sise.Mike at scrippshealth.org> 07/03/07 1:56 PM >>>
We have a young male victim of a car crash one month ago in which he
suffered a C7 burst fractures with qudraplegia, multiple bilateral rib
fractures with bilateral hemo-pnuemothoraces and pulmonary contusions.
Last chest tube discontinued 10 days ago. Weaned to trach collar with
supplemental oxygen, saturating well with clear chest X-ray and no
reidual pneumothorax on CT scan chest abdomen pelvis yesterday. 
 
Family lives on East Coast US, we are in San Diego. Tentativley planning
air evacutation to an East Coast spinal injury rehab center next week,
less than 3 weeks since last chest tube out . What impact, if any, does
the chest injury have on the safety of air evacuation? We routinely
counsel patients not to fly for 6 to 12 weeks after a pneumothorax. Is
this supported by evidence or is this another trauma urban legend? 
 
Your thoughts?
 
Mike Sise

"Scripps Information Security" 
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