Investigation of Dynamic ETCO2 Values With Side Stream in The Treatment of PTX: A Prospective Study

Objective: Pneumothorax (PTX) is the accumulation of air in the pleural space, and it poses significant concerns in emergency settings. End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitoring is potentially significant in PTX management, particularly regarding treatment response. This study aimed to elucidate the role of ETCO2 monitoring in patients undergoing PTX, particularly in assessing treatment response following tube thoracostomy.
Material and Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital’s emergency department. It included 43 patients diagnosed with spontaneous or traumatic PTX. ETCO2 levels were measured before and after tube thoracostomy, along with other clinical parameters.
Results: Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in ETCO2 values before tube insertion and at 2 and 4 hours post-insertion(p<0.001). P-values were also less than 0.001 for all pairwise comparisons in the post hoc analysis. Changes in ETCO2 levels post-treatment indicated the potential of this parameter for monitoring treatment efficacy. However, no significant difference was observed between spontaneous and traumatic PTX cases.
Conclusion: ETCO2 monitoring emerges as a promising tool in PTX management, providing insights into treatment response. Further research is warranted to optimize its integration into clinical practice to enhance PTX patient care.

Keywords: PTX, tube thoracostomy, end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2)