A patient with pneumocephalus may need to be managed differently depending on a number of factors.
In the most severe cases it may need to be necessary to take the patient to surgery to release the air and to fix any defect allowing air to enter.
For some patients, placing the patient in a vertical position may suffice.
The rate at which the air collection resolves is affected by the FIO2 of the inspired air. For a 50 mL air collection, complete resolution may take 5 weeks on room air (FIO2 21%), 2 weeks if the FIO2 is 40% but only 3 or 4 days if the FIO2 is 100%. The oxygen-supplemented air is delivered by a non-rebreather mask.
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