Gorham's disease of the clavicle with bilateral pleural effusions

Abstract

A patient with Gorham's disease (massive osteolysis, disappearing bone disease) of the right clavicle had bilateral sanguinous pleural effusions. Complete cure was achieved by removal of the bony remnants with the hemangiomatous mass which caused bone destruction, and by obliteration of the pleural spaces using repeated talcum insertion. In six out of seven previously described cases of Gorham's disease with pleural effusions, the patients died, while the only survivor had a unilateral chylous effusion.