[Pneumothorax in women and thoracic endometriosis]

Abstract

Thoracic endometriosis has been considered a rare clinical condition but it is probably underestimated in the literature. Various clinical symptoms may occur but the most frequent are catamenial pneumothoraces. Four main clinical conditions may reveal thoracic endometriosis: catamenial pneumothorax, catamenial haemothorax, catamenial haemoptysis and endometrial nodules in the lung. Catamenial pneumothoraces are the most frequent manifestation, characterized, in the majority of the cases, by right side localization and diaphragmatic abnormalities (perforations and/or nodules). The resection of suspected areas of visceral or parietal pleural endometriosis, as well as partial resection of the diaphragm in the case of nodules and/or perforations, allows the histological diagnosis of endometriosis. Because of the high recurrence rate, treatment of catamenial pneumothoraces should combine surgery and hormonal therapy.