Elementary Pulmonary Rehabilitation Protocol to Ameliorate Functionality Level in Case of Pneumothorax Following Emphysema: A Case Report

Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) has been reported as the third leading cause of death globally. The main risk factor for a significant portion of emphysema patients is tobacco use. Additionally, occupational exposure to wood dust enhances the risk of acquiring respiratory disorders, since the respirable wood dust settles into the bronchioles and alveoli and causes lung irritation which presents symptoms like mucus hypersecretion and breathlessness. A secondary complication, emphysema-induced pneumothorax, in the elderly requires the medical intervention of intercostal drainage (ICD) to allow the leak of air out of the thoracic cavity. In this article, we present a case of a 65-year-old male who visited the respiratory department with complaints of breathlessness, fever, and cough with expectoration for four days. He reports a history of tobacco smoking for 30 years with prior hospitalization seven years ago with similar complaints. The patient was initially diagnosed with pulmonary emphysema, which later progressed to spontaneous pneumothorax. He underwent medical management with ICD, which was successful. Following this, an integrated rehabilitation program using various breathing strategies was established in order to get the patient back to his regular daily activities with minimal signs of exhaustion or dyspnea. This protocol proved to be successful in enhancing the patient's respiratory condition.