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Anonymous
ANSWERS: 1
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This is when air enters the area around the lungs (the pleural space) but can't leave again; generally it is the result of some injury to the lung which results in the lung leaking air into the pleural space with each intaken breath, but there being tissue in the way which prevents the air leaking back out, through either the same or any other path (e.g. a flap of tissue acting as a one-way valve). This results in a "balloon" of pressurised air building up which will eventually result in the collapse of the lung on that side, and sometimes compression of the heart, major blood vessels travelling through the chest, and other lung as well. It is a life-threatening emergency unless pressure is relieved quickly, once it gets to that point. See http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000090.htm for a description of symptoms.
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