Cathamenial pneumothorax

Cathamenial pneumothorax is a relatively low-frequency pathology (approximately 100 cases cited in the literature) characterized by recurrent pneumothorax episodes during the menstruation period. We report on a 34-year-old female patient who had recurrent pneumothorax that did not respond to chest drainage and whose presentation was directly related to the menstruation period. Our patient also had a significant clinical record for pelvic endometriosis. She underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic exploration (VATS) of the pleural cavity and dystrophic parenchymal blebs of the middle lobe were found. An atypical resection of the bollous tissue was performed and pleurodesis completed the intervention. During VATS no ectopic endometriosis foci or diaphragmatic fenestrations (widely considered as a possible cause of this clinical picture) were evidenced.