A primary spontaneous pneumothorax is also known as a collapsed lung. This condition occurs when air that should be in the lung escapes into the space between the wall of the chest and the lungs. The presence of air on the outside of the lung creates too much pressure for the lung to stay inflated. A lung can collapse fully or partially. A primary spontaneous pneumothorax occurs when there is no underlying disease causing the collapsed lung. Use of e-cigarettes or other vaping devices can cause a collapsed lung in otherwise healthy patients.
Common symptoms of a collapsed lung in people who vape include:
Use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices is the cause of vaping-related spontaneous pneumothorax. People experiencing a collapsed lung as a result of vaping typically sought treatment within a few hours of their last use due to the severity of the symptoms.
There are 2 ways that vaping can cause a collapsed lung. Certain vaping devices require frequent deep inhalation and/or forced exhalation, creating the conditions for a lung to collapse. Many vaping devices and e-cigarettes also contain toxic chemicals like 2,3-pentadiene and diacetyl that are known to damage the air sacs in the lung and may contribute to the formation of air blisters on the surface of the lungs. If these air blisters rupture, this can lead to a collapsed lung.
Risk factors for vaping-associated collapsed lung include having a previous instance of a collapsed lung and being a male assigned at birth. Additionally, anyone between the age of 20 and 40 who is underweight for their age and tall is much more likely to suffer from a vaping-related collapsed lung due to air blisters on the surface of their lungs.
A collapsed lung is easily diagnosed using a chest X-ray or computerised tomography (CT) scan of the chest. Using your medical history and current symptoms, your doctor will order imaging scans to confirm the diagnosis of a collapsed lung.
Complications of a collapsed lung include infection, lung damage, difficulty breathing without assistance, and re-occurrence of the collapsed lung. However, these complications are unlikely in the population of patients who experience a vaping-associated collapsed lung. These people are typically younger and tolerate treatment well. Continuing to use e-cigarettes or other vaping products after having a collapsed lung is most likely to put you at risk for any of the above complications.
Treatment for a vaping-associated collapsed lung will depend on how much of the lung collapsed and how responsive you are to treatment.
Treatment may include:
Ongoing care and observation are required to ensure prevention of a future lung collapse. It’s very important to safely stop using any vaping devices as part of treatment.
Vaping-associated lung collapse can be prevented by avoiding e-cigarettes and other vaping devices and their second-hand vapours.