A LATE PRESENTATION OF SPONTANEOUS PNEUMOTHORAX IN AN ELDERLY PATIENT WITH COPD; A RARE CONDITION

The objective of this article is to report a case of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax(SSP) with a late presantation after seven days. A 79-year-old male presented with one-week history of chest pain and cough. He had a 72 pack-year smoking history and stage 1 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). A total pneumothorax on the left side was determined after chest X-ray. Tube thoracostomy was performed and the patient recovered uneventfully. This case showed that regardless of the duration of the complaints, SSP should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with a history of long-term cigarette smoking or COPD who are in a relatively good general condition and non-obvious respiratory distress.