ANATOMY OF THORASIC WALL
The thorax is the upper part of the trunk, which consists of:
a) External musculoskeletal cage (The thorasic wall) ; and
b) Internal cavity (That contains heart, lungs, oesophagus, trachea, thymus etc.)
Surface Anatomy of Thorasic Wall
There are several landmarks and imaginary line to facilitate anatomical descriptions, identification of parts/ areas and to describe lesions and perform dissection. Some of the important landmarks relevant forensic pathologist/ expert are (Fig.1):
1. Anterior median (mid-sternal) line- indicate intersection of the median plane with anterior chest wall. His line is usually followed for making skin incision while opening the thorasic and abdominal cavity. It starts from the midpoint of the supra-sternal notch and goes up-to centre of pubic symphysis.
2. Mid clavicular line- passes through the…show more content… Pneumothorax
A pneumothorax is a collection of free air in the chest outside the lung that causes the lung to collapse.
Types:
A spontaneous pneumothorax, also referred to as a primary pneumothorax, occurs in the absence of a traumatic injury to the chest or a known lung disease. A secondary (also termed complicated) pneumothorax occurs as a result of an underlying condition.
Spontaneous pneumothorax is caused by a rupture of a cyst or a small sac (bleb) on the surface of the lung. Pneumothorax may also occur following an injury to the chest wall such as a fractured rib, any penetrating injury (gun shot or stabbing), surgical invasion of the chest, or may be deliberately induced in order to collapse the lung. A pneumothorax can also develop as a result of underlying lung diseases, including cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, asthma, and infections of the lungs.
Fig.7: Picture of Pneumothorax (Collapsed