چکیده (انگلیسی):

Catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is a rare entity of spontaneous, recurring pneumothorax
in females. Although it has been known to be associated with thoracic endometriosis,
varying clinical course and the lack of consistent intraoperative findings have led to conflicting
etiological theories. We herein discuss the etiology, clinical course, and surgical treatment of
three patients with CP. Three females (aged 40 years, 28 years, and 34 years) had recurrent
right-sided spontaneous pneumothoraces that coincided with their menses. They had undergone
video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) previously. Blueberry spots in the right diaphragm
were detected in all three cases. Two patients had recurrence, postoperatively. The
other patient, who received luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog therapy for an
abdominal endometriosis in the perioperative period and postoperative chemical pleurodesis
to prevent recurrence, has been free of recurrence for 15 months, postoperatively. However,
pelvic endometriosis was detected in this patient only. Therefore, CP should be suspected in
ovulating females with spontaneous pneumothorax, even in the absence of any symptoms associated
with pelvic endometriosis. In addition, while performing VATS, careful inspection of the
diaphragmatic surface is important. In complicated cases, hormonal suppression therapy and
chemical pleurodesis might also be helpful adjunct modalities.