10 Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments: Pneumothorax

9. Treatment: Surgery

If a chest tube does not resolve the issue, surgery may be required to close the leak. People with lung disease or repeated collapsed lungs will also need an operation. A small, fiber-optic camera along with narrow surgical tools enters the cavity through a tiny incision. Your surgeon will discover the problem and close it off. A particular material might be used to seal the leak and allow the tissues to stick back together. If you have multiple or large air leaks, a bigger incision between your ribs might be necessary for better access. A process called pleurodesis might also help. This involves injecting doxycycline medicine into your chest through a tube. The substance triggers inflammation, which allows the lung to inflate and stick to the chest wall.