Special Considerations
Geriatric patients have reduced vital capacity and their regular medications can mask injury. Geriatric patients are more susceptible than younger patients to complications.
Pregnant patients are at greater risk of recurrent pneumothorax. Pneumothorax in pregnancy puts the mother and fetus at risk. While observation and aspiration may effectively treat pneumothorax in pregnancy, patients may also need to undergo elective assisted delivery with regional anesthesia when the fetus is near or at term (Havelock et al 2010)