open pneumothorax

Open pneumothorax is when air gets into the pleural space from an injury to the chest.

These are a closed pneumothorax, and an open pneumothorax.

Chest-wall defects are usually evident in cases of injury to the chest wall, such as stab or bullet wounds ("open pneumothorax").

They are typically used to treat open, or "sucking," chest wounds (open pneumothorax) to alleviate or prevent a tension pneumothorax (a serious complication of a simple pneumothorax).