[Pneumothorax following recreational inhalation of nitrous oxide].
Revue des maladies respiratoires May 1, 2007 L Garbaz, D Mispelaere, M Boutemy et al.
A 21-year-old man was hospitalized with left-sided chest pain and found to have a collapsed lung (pneumothorax) that resolved after drainage. He had been regularly inhaling nitrous oxide for its mind-altering effects at rave parties. Repeated nitrous oxide exposure can cause blood, nerve, and birth defects. Rare pneumothorax cases have been reported during medical use when gas moves from the abdomen to the chest. Illicit use is uncommon and mostly seen in medical workers, but its spread to the public may cause accidents and unexpected side effects. Inhaled nitrous oxide can worsen an existing but unnoticed pneumothorax, with potentially serious consequences due to ignorance of risks.