A case of catamenial pneumothorax resulting from visceral pleural endometriosis
Takahiro Hagaa Mizuki Fukuokaa Mizuo Moritaa Kohei Choa Hideyuki Kataokab Masatoshi Kuriharab
aDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Nissan Tamagawa Hospital
bPneumothorax Research Center, Nissan Tamagawa Hosipital
The patient, a 30-year-old woman, took oral contraceptive pills from 5 years to 3 years prior to admission with pelvic endometriosis. After stopping this regular dosage, she developed right spontaneous pneumothorax. Thereafter a right pneumothorax was repeated 14 times, and they were cured by rest. The day of a pneumothorax onset was one of menstrual onset or the day before menstrual onset. She was referred to our hospital with suspicions of catamenial pneumothorax. A thoracoscopic examination on local anesthesia revealed no abnormal findings in the diaphragm. The operation was done by thoracoscopy, and bulla located in right superior lobe was resected. Microscopically, endometrial stromal cells were observed in visceral pleura. The report of catamenial pneumothorax caused by visceral pleural endometriosis without diaphragmatic abnormality is rare and is thought to be a valuable case.
Catamenial pneumothorax Thoracic endometriosis syndrome Endometriosis
Received 14 Feb 2013 / Accepted 12 Apr 2013
AJRS, 2(5): 603-606, 2013