Objective: To compare management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) before and after the completion of multicentre study which showed non-inferiority of conservative compared to interventional treatment for PSP.
Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients aged 14-50 years with a first diagnosis of medium to large PSP before and after March 2019 in a tertiary ED. Medical record and radiology database review were used to identify demographic, clinical and radiological data.
Results: The proportion of patients receiving an intervention in the ED decreased from 31.3% (10/32) to 12.5% (3/24).
Conclusion: Intervention for management of PSP is less frequent, suggesting adoption and implementation of best evidence.
Keywords: emergency department; implementation; management; spontaneous pneumothorax.
© 2024 The Authors. Emergency Medicine Australasia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.