Patients with a medically diagnosed pneumothorax can benefit from high-dose oxygen therapy, regardless of their SpO2 levels, due to the physiological effects that oxygen has in this context. High-flow oxygen can help facilitate the absorption of the pneumothorax by increasing the partial pressure of oxygen in the lungs, which enhances the gradient for oxygen absorption into the bloodstream. This process can also help reduce the size of the pneumothorax more quickly than it would resolve on its own.
Furthermore, providing high-flow oxygen improves the overall oxygenation of the patient, which can be particularly important if the pneumothorax is large or if there are complications present. The therapy does not depend on the initial SpO2 levels and can be beneficial regardless, ensuring that the patient receives adequate oxygenation.
In contrast, limiting the use of high doses of oxygen to specific circumstances, such as worsening symptoms or after the placement of an intercostal catheter, may overlook the immediate advantages that high-flow oxygen provides in managing a pneumothorax.