pneumothorax

pneu·mo·tho·rax

noun
\ˌn(y)ü-mə-ˈthō(ə)r-ˌaks, -ˈthȯ(ə)r-\

plural pneu·mo·tho·rax·es or pneu·mo·tho·ra·ces \-ˈthōr-ə-ˌsēz\

Definition of PNEUMOTHORAX

: a condition in which air or other gas is present in the pleural cavity and which occurs spontaneously as a result of disease or injury of lung tissue, rupture of air-filled pulmonary cysts, or puncture of the chest wall or is induced as a therapeutic measure to collapse the lung—see tension pneumothorax; compare oleothorax