Definition

A medical condition where air or gas collects in the space around the lungs, which can happen due to injury or disease, and may cause the lung to collapse.

Example

The doctor diagnosed him with a pneumothorax after he complained of sudden chest pain.

Conversation

Did you hear about the patient who had a pneumothorax?

No, what happened to them?

They had to stay in the hospital for a few days to recover.

That sounds serious; I hope they're okay!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pneumothorax is formed from "pneumo-" (from Greek "pneuma", meaning air or breath) and "thorax" (from Greek "thorax", meaning chest). The term describes the presence of air in the chest cavity, which can lead to lung collapse.

Memory Tip

Think of 'air' ('pneumo-') in the 'chest' ('thorax') — that's what pneumothorax refers to, the condition of having air in the chest.

Visually Confused Words