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Endometriosis of the diaphragm has been gaining more attention in the practice of gynecologists and thoracic surgeons in recent years. Understanding related symptoms and developing imaging methods have improved their approach. A review of the literature was performed with the aim to report on incidence, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of diaphragmatic endometriosis. We also cover the issue of the Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome (TES). Complaints of cyclic chest pain in patients of childbearing age should have as differential diagnosis the presence of thoracic endometriosis. Catamenial pneumothorax is the main manifestation of diaphragmatic endometriosis and Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome. Other possible manifestations are hemothorax, pulmonary nodules, and diaphragmatic hernia. Despite the possibility of drug treatment, many patients will be submitted to surgical treatment. The minimally invasive approach should be the one of choice. The robotic pathway allows for an easier approach due to its ability to articulate robotic arms, allowing the treatment of lesions in hard-to-reach locations, such as the posterior part of the diaphragm. Multidisciplinary treatment should be used in most cases, as only abdominal approach is not sufficient for the diagnosis and treatment of lesions in the thoracic cavity. The approach of endometriosis of the diaphragm and Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome should be multidisciplinary, allowing the improvement of quality of life in most patients.

Endometriosis is a chronic condition causing menstrual pain, irregular bleeding and infertility among women. Although usually in the pelvis, it can manifest in atypical places. We describe a 39-year old woman with a previous endometriosis diagnosis who presented three times on the second menstrual day with dyspnea and chest pain. Imaging showed right-sided pneumothorax on all three occasions. Thoraco­scopy revealed endometriosis-like lesions. Histology was suggestive of endometriosis. After treatment with chemical pleurodesis and hormonal suppression she has remained symptom-free. Diagnosis should be obtained by concomitant thoraco- and laparoscopy with biopsies to verify the disease and give a basis for appropriate treatment.

Introduction. Catamenial pneumothorax is spontaneous pneumothorax occurring within 72?96 h before and after menstrual bleeding. It is frequently associated with thoracic endometriosis. However, certain cases are not associated with any identifiable thoracic pathology. Case report. A 42-year-old woman with a history of pelvic endometriosis presented with sudden cough and shortness of breath on the first day of menstrual bleeding. Chest radiography revealed a complete right pneumothorax. The patient had previously undergone 7 failed in vitro fertilization cycles. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery showed pulmonary bullous lesions and a diaphragmatic fenestration. Atypical resection of the pulmonary apex was performed by an endostapler. Diaphragm plication was performed using Ethibond sutures. Definitive histopathological examination of the pulmonary tissue was negative for endometriosis. A postoperative course of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist triptorelin was administered during a period of 6 months. The patient's postoperative recovery was uneventful, without recurrence of pneumothorax to this day. Conclusion. There is a possibility that ovarian hyperstimulation caused the rupture of the pulmonary bullae. The patient may have developed endometriotic diaphragmatic fenestrations, activated by ovarian hyperstimulation, leading to pneumothorax. Early diagnosis and timely surgical treatment dealing with all thoracic pathology, as well as adjuvant hormonal treatment, may reduce the recurrence rate of catamenial pneumothorax.

Endometriosis is dened as the presence of functional extra-uterine endometrial tissue, which can suffer hemorrhage, inammation, brosis and adhesion formation, causing pelvic pain and infertility. The chest is a place where the presentation of endometriosis is rare, its diagnosis is based on the clinical picture of pneumothorax without associated trauma but with cyclical presentation. The pathological study is based on the presence of stroma and endometrial glands. The management of thoracic endometriosis is medical based on hormonal treatment, and surgical management for the management of complications or resection of the ovaries and hysterectomy to avoid recurrence. We present a case of a patient with recurrent catamenial pneumothorax.

OBJECTIVESThoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) is the presence of functional endometrial tissue in or around the lung. There seem to be differences in the clinical presentation of this condition among Nigerian patients. We aim to study the clinical presentation and management outcome of TES in our centre.METHODSThis is an analysis of consecutive patients with TES treated over a 5-year period and followed up for 6 months to 5 years. Information collected included the gynaecological history, clinical presentation, causes of misdiagnosis, modalities of treatment and outcome.RESULTSTwenty-three patients with TES aged between 24 and 45 years (median 32 years) were treated. Severe dysmenorrhoea was a prominent symptom in 91.3% of cases (median dysmenorrhoea score 8) and was uninfluenced by the marital status (P = 0.522). The patients usually presented with massive or recurrent haemothorax associated with massive ascites [16/23 (69.5%) of cases (P = 0.0006)]. The right side alone was involved in 21 cases and 1 patient had catamenial haemoptysis as a part of her symptoms, even though there was bronchial bleed at bronchoscopy in 6 patients. In 40%, tuberculosis was the misdiagnosis. Diagnosis was established histologically in 18/23 (78.3%) of the cases. Treatment was multimodal and multidisciplinary with notable macroscopic lesions in 77.8% of the patients that had surgery.CONCLUSIONSTES is not an uncommon lesion. Presentation with massive haemothorax is usually associated with massive ascites. A large percentage of such have pleural and diaphragmatic lesions that require surgical treatment. The ascites may be refractory to treatment requiring repeated paracentesis.

Background: Treatment of women with spontaneous pneumothorax is challenging and multidisciplinary. We performed a retrospective analysis of 10 females with spontaneous pneumothorax to determine the clinical features as well as the effects of treatment and recurrence rates. Our goal was to report that non-intubated video-assisted thoracic surgery is feasible and safe treatment of pneumothorax in women.Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of the clinical and pathologic data in all 10 patients undergoing treatment at our institution. 4 patients undervent treatment for catamenial pneumothorax. All 10 patients underwent surgical treatment.Results: The median age was 33 years. The laterality of the pneumothorax was right in 7, left in 3 patients. All patients underwent surgical treatment. Partial resection of the lung was performed in 10 patients and partial resection of the diaphragm with mesh diaphragm augmentation in four. Of these, both resections were performed in four patients. A pathological diagnosis of endometriosis was achieved in only four patients. The observation period was 6 months. No recurrences were observed. 8 patients were operated in the 1st, 1 in the 2nd, 1 in the 5th episode of pneumothorax. All patients were transferred to the ward 30 minutes and oral food intake was permitted 1 h after surgery.Conclusions: non-intubated video-assisted thoracic surgery with mesh diaphragm augmentation, atypical lung resection and pleural abrasion could be considered a feasible, safe and effective method of treatment of catamenial pneumothorax. Prolonged follow-up and further clinical investigations are required to confirm the advantages of the proposed approach.

Background Extra‐pelvic endometriosis is a rare type of endometriosis, which occurs in a distant site from gynecological organs. The diagnosis of extra‐pelvic endometriosis can be extremely challenging and may result in a delay in diagnosis. The main objective of this review was to characterize abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) and thoracic endometriosis (TE). Methods The authors performed a literature search to provide an overview of AWE and TE, which are the major types of extra‐pelvic endometriosis. Main findings Abdominal wall endometriosis includes scar endometriosis secondary to the surgical wound and spontaneous AWE, most of which occur in the umbilicus or groin. Surgical treatment appeared to be effective for AWE. Case reports indicated that the diagnosis and treatment of catamenial pneumothorax or endometriosis‐related pneumothorax (CP/ERP) are challenging, and a combination of surgery and postoperative hormonal therapy is essential. Further, catamenial hemoptysis (CH) can be adequately managed by hormonal treatment, unlike CP/ERP. Conclusion Evidence‐based approaches to diagnosis and treatment of extra‐pelvic endometriosis remain immature given the low prevalence and limited quality of research available in the literature. To gain a better understanding of extra‐pelvic endometriosis, it would be advisable to develop a registry involving a multidisciplinary collaboration with gynecologists, general surgeons, and thoracic surgeons., Abdominal wall endometriosis includes scar endometriosis secondary to the surgical wound and spontaneous AWE, most of which occur in the umbilicus or groin. The diagnosis and treatment of catamenial pneumothorax or endometriosis‐related pneumothorax (CP/ERP) are challenging, and a combination of surgery and postoperative hormonal therapy is essential. Further, catamenial hemoptysis can be adequately managed by hormonal treatment, unlike CP/ERP.

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common (more than 12.5% of all urgent conditions in thoracic surgery) life-threatening condition, statistically more commonly found in men with pulmonary emphysema. However, a rare and difficult diagnostic form of spontaneous pneumothorax that develops in more than 73% of women of reproductive age with thoracic endometriosis is spontaneous catamenial pneumothorax. In the prevailing majority of patients, this pneumothorax turns out to be right-sided and recurrent in more than 70% of cases. The “gold standard” for verification of thoracic endometriosis is the visual inspection of the chest organs and biopsy using video-assisted mini-thoracotomy (VATS). The signs of thoracic endometriosis detected intraoperatively include the identification of fenestrations of the diaphragm, endometriosis of the visceral pleura, bullae of various calibers, cicatricial changes in lung parenchyma, etc. There is no consensus on the tactics of patients´ management, however, the primary importance in the treatment of thoracic endometriosis and spontaneous catamenial pneumothorax as its main manifestation should be given to surgical interventions: suturing diaphragm defects, typical (anatomical) or atypical resection of the lungs in different volumes, pleurodesis to prevent the recurrence of pneumothorax, etc. The most effective pleurodesis methods are chemical pleurodesis with sterile talc, the use of YAG-ND and CO2 lasers. Apical pleurectomy is actively used; various materials (fibrin gel, polyglycolic acid, etc.) are being studied as suture-line coverage to create aerostasis. Along with surgical methods, the use of COCs, analogues of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, danazole, progestins, and aromatase inhibitors minimizes the recurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax in patients with thoracic endometriosis.

Background The occurrence of catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is rare, and the awareness of this diagnosis among physicians is insufficient. CP is highly correlated with pelvic endometriosis and remains the most common form of thoracic endometriosis syndrome. Circulating endometrial cells (CECs) have been previously detected in patients with pelvic endometriosis. Could CECs bring new insights into pneumothorax management? Methods This study aims to describe the occurrence and molecular characteristics of CECs in women with spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) (N = 20) with high suspicion of its catamenial character. CECs were enriched from peripheral blood by size-based separation (MetaCell). In addition to cytomorphology, gene expression profiling of captured cells was performed for 24 endometriosis-associated genes. Results CECs were present in all 20 patients with SP. Enriched CECs exhibited four character features: epithelial, stem cell-like, stroma-like, and glandular. However, not all of them were present in every sampling. Gene expression profiling revealed two distinct phenotypes of CECs in SP and/or CP: one of them refers to the diaphragm openings syndrome and the other to endometrial tissue pleural implantations. Comparisons of the gene expression profiles of CECs in pneumothorax (CECs-SP group) with CECs in pelvic endometriosis (CECs-non-SP group) have revealed significantly higher expression of HER2 in the CECs-SP group compared with the CECs-non-SP group. Conclusions This proof-of-concept study demonstrates successful isolation and characterization of CECs in patients with SP. Identification of CECs in SP could alert endometriosis involvement and help early referral to gynecologic consultation for further examination and treatment.

Highlights • Pediatric spontaneous pneumothorax is relatively a rare condition. • A metachronous pneumothorax whether ipsilateral or contralateral side is even rarer. • Current literature is deficient in a solid consensus for management of this type of pneumothorax. • Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is an excellent therapeutic tool for pediatric pneumothorax., Introduction Pediatric primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is defined as the presence of air in the pleural cavity without underlying lung disease or thoracic trauma. Metachronous recurrence of PSP whether ipsilateral or contralateral is rare. Apical bullae and sub-pleural blebs are found in the majority of PSP patients. As in adults, surgery is indicated in cases with prolonged air leak. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is increasingly performed in children and has been reported to be both safe and effective. Presentation of the case An 11-years-old girl had bilateral attacks of PSP, the second attack happened one after the first one and this later was associated with her menarche. Chest CT scan detected bilateral apical blebs. Discussion Contralateral recurrence in pediatric PSP is a low probability. The decision for surgery in the pediatric age group is a matter of controversy as there are no strict pediatric guidelines for management of PSP. Currently, VATS is superior to open surgery. Pediatric Catamenial pneumothorax is not well described in the literature. Conclusions Contralateral recurrence of PSP in children is rarer. No guidelines exist for the management of these cases. The association of pediatric PSP with menarche is not well described in the current literature.

Objective This review aimed to categorize thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) according to whether the presenting symptoms were catamenial and to evaluate whether such a categorization enables a better management strategy. Data Sources An electronic search was conducted using the PubMed/Medline database. Methods of Study Selection The following keywords were used in combination with the Boolean operators AND OR: “thoracic endometriosis syndrome,” “thoracic endometriosis,” “diaphragm endometriosis,” and “catamenial pneumothorax.” Tabulation, Integration, and Results The initial search yielded 445 articles. Articles in non-English languages, those whose full texts were unavailable, and those that did not present the symptomatology clearly were further excluded. After these exclusions, the review included 240 articles and 480 patients: 61 patients in the noncatamenial group and 419 patients in the catamenial group. The groups differed significantly in presenting symptoms, surgical treatment techniques, and observed localization of endometriotic loci (p Conclusion This review points out the significant differences between patients with TES with catamenial and noncatamenial symptoms. Such categorization and awareness by clinicians of these differences among patients with TES can be helpful in designing a management strategy. When constructing management guidelines, these differences between patients with catamenial and noncatamenial symptoms should be taken into consideration.

The presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity is known as endometriosis. Catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is a recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax that occurs in women of childbearing age. Thoracic endometriosis is a rare clinical entity, and CP is the most common presentation. Imaging diagnosis is based on computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), detecting blood products in endometrial deposits. We report a case of right CP in a 37-year-old woman with chest pain and dyspnea 48 hours after the onset of menstruation. The pneumothorax was drained, continuous hormonal therapy was started, and she underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), which revealed multiple diaphragmatic fenestrations and a solitary nodular thickening in the diaphragmatic pleura (endometrial deposit). After pleurodesis, multiple CP recurred, and later underwent a total hysterectomy. CP is the most common form of thoracic endometriosis and should be suspected in women of childbearing age.

A 41-year-old woman was admitted with a recurrent pneumothorax coincident with menstruation 2 months after a first occurrence. Video-assisted thoracic surgery was performed for definitive diagnosis and pneumothorax treatment. Bluish diaphragmatic spots and three lung bullae were noted. A lung fistula was observed in one of the bullae, and the diaphragmatic lesion and bullae were resected. The bulla with air leakage and the diaphragmatic lesion were diagnosed as endometrial tissue by pathology. This case is rare as a fistula from a bulla with endometriosis was identified intraoperatively, suggesting the check-valve mechanism might be one of the etiologies of catamenial pneumothorax.

A 27-year-old female presented to the emergency department with sudden onset shortness of breath. A diagnosis of bilateral catamenial pneumothoraces was made following chest radiograph. Catamenial pneumothorax is a recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax that occurs in 90% of affected women 24-48 hours after the onset of their menstruation; 30-50% of cases have associated pelvic endometriosis. Symptoms can be as simple as chest pain or as severe as the presentation of this patient who was initially found to be in significant respiratory distress.

Thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) is the presence of endometriotic foci within the respiratory system and involves a range of symptoms that coincide with the menses. These symptoms are defined as the presence of pneumothorax, hemothorax, hemoptysis, lung nodules, isolated chest pain, and pneumomediastinum. Catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is described as recurrent abnormal air collection between the lung and chest wall that occurs within the first 72 hours of the menses and is the most common presentation of TES [1].

Highlights • Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome is a rare disorder. • A strong relationship exists between thoracic endometriosis, pelvic endometriosis and infertility. • Diagnosis remains a challenge particularly in low resource settings. • Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) remains the treatment of choice., Introduction Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome (TES) is a rare disorder characterized by the presence of functional endometrial tissue in the thoracic cavity, often associated with the visceral or parietal pleura, lung parenchyma or airways. The aim of this case report is to illustrate the classic manner of presentation of TES and the modalities of therapy employed in a low-resource setting in the South-Western region of Nigeria. Case presentation We report the case of a 37-year old woman who presented with right-sided pleuritic chest pain, cough and dyspnea closely associated with her menstrual cycle. On examination, there were reduced breath sounds and decreased air entry on the right hemithorax as well as dull percussion notes on the right middle and lower lung zones. Chest X-ray revealed signs of right-sided pleural effusion. Working diagnosis of right-sided Catamenial Pneumothorax was made for which she had 3 sessions of chemical pleurodesis which failed to close the air leaks. She eventually has a right-sided posterolateral thoracotomy and was co-managed by the O&G team with monthly Goserelin injections. Conclusion This case illustrates the difficulties physicians in low-resource settings face in the diagnosis and treatment of TES and the importance of a high index of suspicion as well as a multidisciplinary approach in patient care.

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax is defined as the presence of air in the pleural space with no precipitating cause and is four times less likely to occur in women than in men1,2. Common causes for spontaneous pneumothorax in females include: interstitial pneumonia, primary lung cancer and lung metastasis, and asthma3. An uncommon cause for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax is catamenial pneumothorax, which is associated with thoracic endometriosis. The word “catamenial” is derived from the greek word “katamenios” meaning monthly recurrence.4 Catamenial pneumothorax refers to recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax during menstruation in the absence of concomitant respiratory disease5.

Highlights • TES is becoming more common, with increasing awareness. • Catamenial pneumothorax represents a complex puzzle, and finding some pieces of the puzzle should suffice for high suspicion on its diagnosis. • This case demonstrates the variable presentations of TES and the optimal management., Introduction Catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is a rare and usually miss diagnosed condition that is often characterized by non- specific respiratory or gynecological symptoms. A high index of suspicion is warranted for early diagnosis and management. Presentation of case We present a case of 34 year old female who presented with shortness of breath and dyspnea. Discussion The radiological diagnosis was pneumothorax with further history, it was apparent that is was a case of primary infertility secondary to possible pelvic endometriosis. She was treated as a case of bilateral catamenial hemopneumothorax after confirming the diagnosis through surgical exploration & repair of right hemidiaphragm. Conclusions This case demonstrate the extensive bilateral catamenial hemopnemothorax which is limitedly described in the literature index of suspicion & early diagnosis and management would ensure multiple admission & recurrence.

The aim of the study is to illustrate the case reports of patients with catamenial pneumothorax and with consecutive discussion about the causes of late diagnosis of endometriosis and recurrence of pneumothorax.Material and methods. Three own clinical cases of middle-aged women with catamenial pneumothorax who were treated in the surgical thoracic department of the «Samara Regional Clinical Hospital named after V.D. Seredavina» in 2017 had been described.Results. In all clinical cases the pleuroperitoneal fistula was the direct cause of the development of pneumothorax due to the germination of the endometrial node. The lack of caution regarding endometriosis leads to the fact that the revision of the diaphragm during thoracoscopy is performed rarely and very superficially. The solution about the volume of diaphragm repair is simple: the suturing of the defect is indicated. The definition of gynecological tactics should go parallel to the surgical one immediately, as soon as the assumption of possible endometriosis appeared.Conclusion. It is important to remember about endometriosis of the diaphragm as a possible reason of spontaneous pneumothorax in women of reproductive age. When performing thoracoscopy, a revision of the diaphragm is necessary to identify its possible fenestration. Prevention of recurrent pneumothorax consists in the induction of pleurodesis and the subsequent treatment of endometriosis by an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Introduction: Thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) is a rare phenomenon that affects 6-10% of women of reproductive age. It is characterized by presence of ectopic endometrial tissue within the thoracic cavity, mainly the lung parenchyma and pleura. TES presents as catamenial pneumothorax (CP), catamenial hemothorax (CH), pulmonary nodules or hemoptysis. Hormonal therapy is considered first line treatment followed by operative thoracoscopy for removal of ectopic endometrial implants. Our case highlights the limited number of treatment options in a young patient with recurrent catamenial disease.Description: A 37-year-old G4P0040 female presented to the emergency department (ED) with worsening shortness of breath (SOB) for 5 days. Her SOB was sudden in onset, progressively worsening, and associated with cough and right-sided chest pain. Patient was admitted 5 months ago for similar symptoms. She has a past medical history significant for hypertension, obesity, iron deficiency anemia, severe endometriosis and TES manifesting as recurrent, right sided pleural effusions, CPs and CHs requiring surgical treatment. Previous biopsies of the ectopic endometrial tissue revealed dense fibroconnective tissue with focal endometriosis and no indication for malignancy. In the ED, she appeared in distress and had a BP of 166/102. Physical examination revealed tachypnea, accessory muscle usage, respiratory distress and retractions. Breath sounds were decreased in the right lung. EKG revealed normal sinus rhythm, and a COVID-19 test yielded negative results. Chest x-ray and CT were consistent with findings for right tension hemothorax. She was started on BiPAP initially and thoracic surgery was consulted. A tube thoracostomy was performed in the ED and a chest tube was placed. Moreover, a CBC revealed Hb of 5.7g/dl. She was transfused 4 units pRBC and admitted to the ICU for further monitoring. Ob/gyn was consulted and leuprolide was administered to prevent recurrence of a hemothorax. She remained in the hospital for 3 days and was subsequently discharged after resolution of symptoms confirmed by imaging.Conclusion: Catamenial hemothoraces are a late finding of TES. There is mixed data regarding the effectiveness of GnRH agonists on recurrence rates of CH, however subsequent surgery has shown to be preventative in resistant cases. This unique case illustrates the insufficiency in both mainstay treatments. Despite the fact the patient had previous lobectomies using VATS, lysis of adhesions and hormonal therapy, she continued to have recurrent manifestations of TES. Novel treatments in conjunction with a multidisciplinary team approach should be used to effectively treat TES and prevent disease relapse.

Background Catamenial pneumothorax is characterized by spontaneous recurring pneumothorax during menstruation, which is a common clinical manifestation of thoracic endometriosis syndrome. There are still controversies about its pathogenesis. Case presentation A 43-year-old woman with a history of endometriosis came to our hospital due to recurring pneumothorax during menstruation. Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) exploration was performed on the eve of menstruating. We thoroughly explored the diaphragm, visceral and parietal pleura: The lung surface was scattered with yellowish-brown implants; no bullae were found; multiple diaphragmatic defects were found on the dome. And surprisingly, we caught a fascinating phenomenon: Bubbles were slipping into pleural cavity through diaphragmatic defects. We excised the diaphragmatic lesions and wedge resected the right upper lung lesion; cleared the deposits and flushed the thoracic cavity with pure iodophor. Diaphragmatic lesions confirmed the presence of endometriosis, and interestingly enough, microscopically, endometrial cells were shedding with impending menses. After a series of intraoperative operations and postoperative endocrine therapy, the disease did not recur after a period of follow-up. Conclusion We have witnessed the typical signs of catamenial pneumothorax at the accurate timing: Not only observed the process of gas migration macroscopically, but also obtained pathological evidence of diaphragmatic periodic perforation microscopically, which is especially precious and confirms the existing theory that retrograde menstruation leads to diaphragmatic endometriosis, and the diaphragmatic fenestration is obtained due to the periodic activities of ectopic endometrium.

Background Catamenial pneumothorax is generally uncommon, with an incidence of less than 3–6% in women with spontaneous pneumothorax. As few cases of catamenial pneumothorax with diaphragmatic defect and liver herniation have been reported, this case report may be useful for understanding the cause and treatment. This case highlights the importance of the approach for liver hernia in patients with catamenial pneumothorax and endometriosis. Case presentation We report a case of catamenial pneumothorax in a 43-year-old woman with diaphragmatic partial liver hernia who was treated with thoracoscopic surgery. She was diagnosed with a right pneumothorax at menstruation onset. Chest computed tomography showed a nodule protruding above the right diaphragm. We performed thoracoscopic surgery to treat the persistent air leak and biopsied the nodule on the right diaphragm. There were blueberry spots on the diaphragm; the nodule was found to be the herniated liver. The diaphragmatic defect was sutured. Histological examination of the tissue near the partial prolapsed liver revealed endometrial tissue. Conclusions It is speculated that ectopic endometrial tissue in the diaphragm will periodically necrose to become a diaphragmatic tear, which is a pathway for air to enter the thoracic cavity and eventually a herniated liver. Thoracoscopic surgery should be considered in patients with catamenial pneumothorax when a diaphragmatic lesion is suspected.

A 46-year-old woman presented with a right pneumothorax at a regular medical examination during menstruation. The pneumothorax resolved without intervention; however, 6 months later, she was referred to our hospital due to chest pain and dyspnoea. A chest X-ray showed grade III pneumothorax and surgery was performed. During surgery, the patient was found to have pleural adhesions around the right upper lung, pores in the diaphragm and a blueberry spot in the pericardium. The margins of the upper lobe and diaphragm were covered with a polyglycolic acid sheet at the operation. Eight days after surgery, she was referred to our hospital again due to massive haemothorax. The reoperation suggested that the aforementioned blueberry spot in the pericardium was the source of bleeding. The spot was resected and shown to be oestrogen and progesterone receptor-positive, providing evidence of heterotopic endometriosis.

El neumotórax catamenial es una condición clínica rara y compleja que debe ser considerada como causa de neumotórax espontáneo y recurrente que a menudo es diagnosticado en forma errónea. Es una patología pulmonar comúnmente asociada a la menstruación, ya que ocurre dentro de las 72 horas antes o después del inicio del sangrado menstrual. La etiología y el mecanismo subyacente exacto no han sido identificados, pero podría ser una forma rara de endometriosis extrapélvica caracterizada por la presencia de tejido endometrial funcional en pleura, parénquima pulmonar y vías respiratorias. El diagnóstico es un desafío, por lo que puede resultar en recurrencias. Debe sospecharse en mujeres jóvenes en edad fértil. La primera línea de tratamiento es médica, mientras que el tratamiento quirúrgico es necesario para evitar la recurrencia. Se presenta un caso de neumotórax catamenial recurrente.

Endometriosis is defined as growth of endometrial glands and stroma outside the endometrial cavity...

Distant autoimplantation of endometrial implants presents with signs and symptoms specific to the affected site. The constellation of cyclical hemoptysis, pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea, or cough in the right gynaecologic setting should raise concern for thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES). Although extra-pelvic implications of endometriosis are well known, TES is exceedingly rare. We present an unusual case of aggressive TES that re-emerged after a period of latency despite suppressive therapy, making the case for future studies to establish surveillance schedules and advanced therapies. As these implants become sizable, they require a combination of medical and surgical therapies often with psychological support. This case illustrates the importance of prompt diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach to TES.

Background The thoracic cavity is the most frequent site of extrapelvic endometriosis. It exhibits a wide variety of clinical manifestations, such as chest pain, cough, and respiratory distress, and is frequently associated with pelvic endometriosis. Although histological confirmation is the gold standard for a definitive diagnosis, endoscopic identification of the affected area is often difficult. Narrow band imaging (NBI) is an imaging technique that emphasizes vascular structures and is reported to be useful in the diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis. Case presentations A 31-year-old woman and 39-year-old woman developed a recurrent right pneumothorax during their menstruation cycles. They both had no medical history suggesting pelvic endometriosis. We planned an elective video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the suspicion of thoracic endometriosis. In addition to white light alone, an NBI observation enhanced the microvasculature of the suspected lesions and allowed us to identify the affected area more clearly. Partial resections of the diaphragm were performed. Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies of each specimen confirmed the diagnosis of extrapelvic endometriosis. Conclusions NBI may improve the diagnostic accuracy for thoracic endometriosis, especially in clinically suspected patients but without a history of pelvic endometriosis.

Background: Catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is a relatively rare disease, which is a form of a recurring pneumothorax in women of reproductive age. The actual cause is still unclear. Objectives: To perform histopathologic evaluation of the etiology of CP. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed intraoperative findings and pathological specimens of women with pneumothorax who underwent surgery from January 2014 to December 2019. Five patients were suspected with CP based on the clinical history, and computed tomography images showed no bullae. In the other 13 patients, bullae, which seemed to be the culprit lesion, were detected before or during surgery. Results: All patients with suspected CP had diaphragmatic holes, also known as “blue berry spots.” Pathologically, these lesions had endometrial tissue (ET). Diaphragmatic repair was performed for four patients, one of whom developed recurrent pneumothorax and bullae with ET, as identified at reoperation. Another patient had a brown lesion in the right lower lung lobe (Figure 1-a). Its histopathology showed subpleural ET (Figure 1-b, 1-c). The bullae of the other 13 women did not contain similar tissue. Conclusions: Diaphragmatic lesions are considered to cause CP, but this may not always be the case. We hypothesized that ET spreads in the peripheral lung tissue and that air leakage occurs through such lesions at the time of menstruation in cases of CP.

Background Spontaneous pneumothorax occurs more often in younger, slim, and shallow-chested men. Although less common, differential diagnoses for secondary pneumothorax in children are asthma, emphysematous blebs, catamenial pneumothorax, and others. We report a patient who presented with pneumothorax and was found to have an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT)-like lesion, and present a review of the related literature. Case presentation A 14-year-old girl visited her physician for chest pain that developed while exercising. Although chest drainage was performed, the symptoms associated with a collapsed lung did not improve, and she was referred to our hospital. Computed tomography revealed the presence of a 19 × 17-mm cyst with a thick wall in the apex of the right lung. She was tested for infectious diseases, namely tuberculosis, but the results were not definitive. Catamenial pneumothorax was also suspected because she was menstruating when she presented to our hospital. As a therapeutic diagnosis, we performed a thoracoscopic partial resection of the right upper lobe of the lung. Three small openings were identified inside the cyst, suggesting connection with the bronchiole. The lesion was pathologically diagnosed as an IMT-like lesion. Considering the progress so far, we considered that the final diagnosis to be an IMT. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 3, and we have followed her for the past 6 months with no local recurrence or metastasis. Conclusions IMT is not uncommon in children. Therefore, this lesion should be considered as a possible diagnosis if children and young adults develop spontaneous pneumothorax.

Background Thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) is a rare disorder characterized by the presence of functional endometrial tissue within the chest cavity. Up to 80% of women with TES present with concomitant pelvic endometriosis. The diagnostic-curative path is defined by both thoracic surgeons and gynecologists, consistent with the manifestation of the disease. The aim of the study was to analyze the different approaches to generate an ideal diagnosis-treatment algorithm that can be shared by both specialties. Methods We searched PubMed and Scopus for studies that were completed by March 2019 and that included at least 8 patients with TES. Information on preoperative exams, surgical technique, postoperative management, and recurrence of disease was collected for meta-analysis. Results Twenty-five studies including a total of 732 patients were eligible. Almost all of the patients underwent radiologic pelvis investigation (96%; confidence interval [CI], 87%-100%). Videothoracoscopy was the preferred surgical technique (84%; 95% CI, 66%-96%). Intraoperative evaluation revealed the presence of diaphragmatic anomalies in 84% of cases (95% CI, 73%-93%). The overall pooled prevalence of concomitant or staged laparoscopy was 52% (95% CI, 18%-85%). Postoperative hormone therapy was heterogeneous with a pooled prevalence of 61% (95% CI, 33%-86%; I2 = 95.6%; P Conclusions TES should be managed jointly by thoracic surgeons and gynecologists. Chest-abdomen magnetic resonance imaging seems to offer the most details for TES. Combined or staged videothoracoscopy and laparoscopy can provide adequate information to fine-tune proper surgical treatment and postoperative medical therapy.

The functioning of the pleura and the endocrine system are not entirely independent of each other. Some hormones can reach a greater concentration in the pleural exudate than in the blood. However, the clinical significance of this finding remains unknown. In some circumstances, hormonal changes are responsible for pathological manifestations in the pleura. Hypothyroidism is one of the most common diseases that can cause a pleural effusion, likely resulting from alterations in capillary permeability. The presence of ectopic endometrial tissue within the lung parenchyma, pleura, pericardium or diaphragm is known as thoracic endometriosis and is one of the causes of catamenial pneumothorax and /or catamenial hemothorax, which can affect women of childbearing age and arises within 72 h from the onset of menstruation. Treatment and prevention of recurrent catamenial pneumothorax / hemothorax usually requires an approach that combines surgery and hormone therapy. Malignant pleural effusion from breast cancer may contain estrogen receptor-positive cells. In such a case, endocrine treatment may be effective in reducing the amount of pleural fluid and the associated symptoms. Thyroid cancer and lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) are further hormone-sensitive malignancies in which pleura is frequently involved. The solitary fibrous tumor of pleura (SFPT) is an example of a pleural disease that can cause hormonal balance disorders. It can lead to a rise in the releasing factor for growth hormone (GHRH), human beta chorionic gonadotropin (Beta-hCG), and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2). The consequence of such hormonal imbalance include hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy, gynecomastia, and refractory hypoglycemia, respectively.

Catamenial pneumothorax refers to the recurrent collapse of a lung in conjunction with the menstrual cycle. It is a common manifestation of thoracic endometriosis syndrome, a rare condition involving extra-pelvic endometrial lesions. We describe a case of catamenial pneumothorax that has not recurred after treatment with hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. A 37-year-old woman with abdominal endometriosis presented with five episodes of right pneumothorax, all of which coincided with the patient’s menstrual cycle. The diagnosis of catamenial pneumothorax was made, and the patient was referred for hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Combined transdermal estrogen/progesterone treatment was also initiated to manage her symptoms of hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and dyspareunia. Since treatment, the patient has not had recurrent pneumothorax. Due to the rarity and acuity of catamenial pneumothoraces, management options are challenging. Recommendations on the duration of combined estrogen/progesterone treatment following bilateral oophorectomy are needed. A multidisciplinary team approach consisting of pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, and gynecologists is essential for accurate diagnosis, optimal treatment, and successful outcomes in this rare but serious condition.

Objective To describe our experience with the multidisciplinary management of both thoracic/diaphragmatic endometriosis (TED), applying a broadened definition of the “Thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES)” to define cases. Material and methods We present a retrospective series of consecutive patients affected by pathology-proven TED, treated at our institution, during a period of 7 years. Results Five women were included. Two patients were referred due to catamenial chest/shoulder pain, one due to recurrent catamenial pneumothorax, and one due to new-onset diaphragmatic hernia. One patient had no thoracic symptoms, but diaphragmatic endometriosis was found during gynecologic laparoscopy for pelvic endometriosis. Endometriosis was histologically confirmed in all cases. After follow-up, all patients remain asymptomatic. Conclusion Broadened TES criteria could increase the incidence of TED and determine better knowledge of this condition. Multidisciplinary, minimally invasive surgery is effective and safe, but should be reserved for tertiary referral centers.

To evaluate the clinical features of thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) represented by catamenial pneumothorax (CP), endometriosis-related pneumothorax (ERP), and catamenial hemoptysis (CH).In this retrospective study, we enrolled 25 patients with TES, 18 of whom had CP/ERP and 7 had CH, to investigate the clinical presentation, effectiveness of treatment, and recurrence rates in these disorders.The age at onset was significantly lower in patients with CH than in patients with CP/ERP (P 0.05). In 94.4% of patients with CP/ERP, pneumothorax was observed on either the right side or bilaterally, however there was no tendency toward laterality of CH among our cases. In our study, patients with CP/ERP predominantly underwent surgical management and the recurrence rate during treatment was higher in patients with CP/ERP than in those with CH. We found that the recurrence frequency of CP/ERP was lowest under the combination therapy with thoracic surgery and postoperative hormonal therapy.Our findings suggest that CP/ERP and CH are different pathological conditions and CP/ERP is more difficult to manage than CH.

Patient: Female, 30 Final Diagnosis: Thoracic endometriosis syndrome Symptoms: Abdominal pain Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Videothoracoscopic pleurodesis Specialty: Pulmonology Objective: Rare co-existance of disease or pathology Background: Catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is a spontaneous pneumothorax commonly associated with menstrual periods. Endometrial tissues most commonly involve the pelvic region. However, after the pelvis, the lungs are most frequently involved. Thoracic endometriosis should always be suspected in young women presenting with CP. Case Report: A 30-year-old woman with history of endometriosis presented with chief complaint of umbilical pain. A computerized tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis was performed, which showed an incidental finding of a large right-sided pneumothorax. Chest X-ray imaging showed 50% pneumothorax. A right-sided chest tube was placed, and after the procedure, a chest X-ray image showed expansion of the right lung. The patient was readmitted for elective resection of an umbilical mass and was again incidentally found to have a recurrent pneumothorax on the right side. She underwent videothoracoscopic pleurodesis with pathology, establishing the diagnosis of catamenial pneumothorax. Conclusions: Thoracic endometriosis resulting in catamenial pneumothorax should be suspected in young women of child-bearing age. Treatment options still under debate include endoscopic resection and videothoracoscopic pleurodesis followed by gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) therapy to reduce the rate of postoperative recurrence.

Thoracic endometriosis syndrome is a rare condition that includes four entities: catamenial pneumothorax, catamenial hemothorax, catamenial hemoptysis and lung nodules. We describe the case of a 23-year-old woman with complaints of hemoptysis during menstrual period in the two years prior to the appointment. Initially, a treatment for tuberculosis was established with no success. Further investigation showed a 4 mm nodule in the right lung, and the transvaginal ultrasonography indicated the presence of deep endometriosis. Considering the occurrence of symptoms only during menses, an empirical therapy was instituted with remission of the complaints.A síndrome da endometriose torácica é uma condição rara que inclui quatro entidades: pneumotórax catamenial, hemotórax catamenial, hemoptise catamenial e nódulos pulmonares. Descrevemos o caso de uma mulher de 23 anos de idade com queixas de hemoptise durante o período menstrual por 2 anos. Inicialmente, um tratamento para a tuberculose foi estabelecido sem sucesso. Uma investigação adicional mostrou um nódulo de 4 mm no pulmão direito, e a ultrassonografia transvaginal indicou a presença de endometriose profunda. Considerando a ocorrência de sintomas somente durante a menstruação, uma terapia empírica foi instituída com remissão das queixas.

Thoracic endometriosis is a rare entity characterized by presence of endometrial tissue in pleura, lung parenchyma or airways. Most frequent manifestations are catamenial pneumothorax, hemothorax, hemoptysis and pulmonary nodules. We report here a rare case of a woman with thoracic endometriosis who developed iterative pneumothorax and pneumopericardium on bilateral bullous pulmonary dystrophy. She was a 37-year-old woman without any tobacco exposure and with previous history of pleural tuberculosis treated 5 years earlier. She was first referred to our centre for right pleuro-pneumothorax and hemorrhagic ascites. Pleural fluid examinations did not show any tuberculosis relapse, the evolution was favorable after thoracic drainage and there was no parenchymal lung abnormality on CT scan after surgery. Celioscopic peritoneal examination revealed stage IV peritoneal endometriosis. One year later, she was admitted for left catamenial pneumothorax. Thoracic CT scan showed apparition of large subpleural bulla. She underwent thoracotomy for bulla resection and left partial pleurectomy. Two years later, she was hospitalized for right pneumothorax and compressive pneumopericardium. Surgical lung biopsies confirmed pleuropulmonary endometriosis. Thoracotomy was performed for talcage pleurodesis and diaphragmatic leakages sutures. Lung bulla are rare in thoracic endometriosis, mechanism of their formation remains unknown. Pericardial involvement is rare in endometriosis; we report here a unique case of pneumopericardium.

OBJECTIVES Women are the minority among patients with spontaneous pneumothorax, but catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is unique to them. We aimed to clarify the clinical characteristics of female patients with spontaneous pneumothorax using a nationwide database. METHODS Medical records from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database for inpatients with pneumothorax between July 2010 and March 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Age, underlying diseases, body mass index, smoking status, laterality, number of hospitalizations and treatments were studied. RESULTS We identified 157 087 patients with pneumothorax, including 27 716 (17.6%) women and 129 371 (82.4%) men. The age distribution of female patients with pneumothorax had 3 peaks: 18 years, around 40 years and 80 years; male patients had 2 peaks: 18 years and 79 years. We identified 873 patients with CP; this number was not sufficient to account for the female-specific peak around 40 years. The characteristics of female patients of reproductive age were significantly different between those with and without CP. The patients with CP were older (average age: 37.9 ± 7.7 years vs 31.3 ± 11.5 years, P

This report describes a case of successful catamenial pneumothorax repair using local anesthesia and sedation. A female patient presented with spontaneous pneumothorax with a persistent air leak. Preoperative computed tomography did not reveal any abnormality. Surgery was planned for exploration. In the intraoperative field, a pore was incidentally found in the diaphragm. Therefore, an apical lung wedge procedure was performed; the pore was resected at the diaphragm and covered with polypropylene mesh. The operation was performed using anesthesia with intravenous agents and an oxygen mask with a reservoir bag without endotracheal intubation. The patient was discharged 4 days postoperatively and was doing well at 1-month follow-up.

Study Objective The objective of this video is to review relevant surgical anatomy, resection and ablation methods, and techniques to optimize management of diaphragmatic endometriosis. Design Video footage of surgical anatomy and surgical technique. Institutional review board approval was not required. Setting Thoracic endometriosis lesions can involve the pleura, the lung, and the diaphragm. The prevalence of thoracic endometriosis is unknown, but most cases involve the diaphragm. A large percentage of patients are asymptomatic. Those who are symptomatic can present with cyclic shoulder pain, right upper quadrant pain, or catamenial pneumothorax. Symptomatic cases refractory to medical management or recurrence require surgical management [ 1 , 2 ]. Safe and efficient management of these cases depends on an experienced multidisciplinary team. In this video, the experiences and management tools used by our team are described. Interventions Laparoscopic management of primary and recurrent symptomatic diaphragmatic endometriosis. (1) The surgeon performing these procedures must be familiar with liver, diaphragmatic, and thoracic anatomy. (2) Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging should be used to map suspicious lesions. (3) Bronchoscopy should be available for double-lumen endobronchial tube placement for selective ventilation. (4) The operating room should have video-assisted thoracoscopy capability, and a thoracic surgeon should be available. (5) Intercostal nerve block with liposomal bupivacaine can be useful for postoperative pain control [ 3 , 4 ]. Conclusion A multidisciplinary skilled team approach to the surgical management of diaphragmatic endometriosis to optimize outcomes is preferred.

A 47-year-old woman was diagnosed with pelvic endometriosis during a caesarean at the age of 37 years. Two years later, she presented two episodes of spontaneous right-sided pneumothorax occurring 2 days after the onset of her menses. The first episode was treated with pleural drainage and the chest CT scan did not show parenchymal or diaphragmatic anomalies. A second episode occurred 1 month later and the patient underwent thoracoscopic exploration, wedge resection of the lung apex and mechanical pleurodesis. During this intervention, multiple dark elliptical nodules were identified on the tendinous part of the diaphragm (figure 1A …