Catamenial pneumothorax: A case report

Abstract

Catamenial pneumothorax is defined as spontaneous, recurrent pneumothorax occurring in women of reproductive age and associated with the menstrual cycle. This condition is rare and challenging to diagnose, despite increasing awareness due to case and series reports in recent years. Here, we present a clinical case of a 47-year-old woman with a history of recurrent right-sided pneumothorax requiring chest drainage multiple times from 2016 to 2022. Her pneumothorax episodes were cyclical, varying in severity. The diagnosis of catamenial pneumothorax was established, and she underwent thoracoscopic surgery to repair the lesions. One year postoperatively, there has been no recurrence of pneumothorax.

Keywords

• Catamenial pneumothorax
• Thoracic endometriosis
• Diaphragmatic defects