Culture

Mariska Hargitay, 'Law & Order' Actress, Suffers Collapsed Lung

by Jarrett Martineau | January 13, 2009 at 10:43 am

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Mariska Hargitay, star of the hit television program Law & Order: SVU, has reportedly suffered a collapsed lung — for the second time.

Hargitay will not miss any episodes of the show, however, and is currently being treated for the condition.

"Mariska Hargitay has been sidelined with a pneumothorax," her rep confirmed to Access Hollywood, which first reported the story. According to TMZ.com, this is the second time Hargitay has suffered this problem.

The site reports the actress' lung collapsed over the Christmas holiday, and then again today. Pneumothorax – the medical term for the condition – occurs as a result of the buildup of air in the space between the lung and the chest wall, according to Web MD.

It often occurs after a chest injury like a broken rib, but sometimes occurs without. Hargitay's rep said she was not injured while filming her show "Law & Order: SVU," which sometimes requires strenuous physical sequences for her role as a police detective.