Catamenial pneumothorax: a case report and review of the literature

Thoracic Endometriosis: A Review Comparing 480 Patients Based on Catamenial and Noncatamenial Symptoms

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 <.05).

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.

Thoracic endometriosis syndrome: case report and review of the literature

Thoracic endometriosis syndrome is the presence of endometrial tissue in or around the lung. Thoracic endometriosis syndrome consists of four distinct clinical entities: catamenial pneumothorax, catamenial hemothorax, hemoptysis, and pulmonary nodules. Thoracic endometriosis syndrome is a rare and complex condition, and diagnosis is often delayed or missed by clinicians, which can result in recurrent hospitalizations and other complications. Current treatments include hormone therapy and, where warranted, surgical intervention. We report the case of a 48-year-old woman with endometriosis causing bowel obstruction and concurrent catamenial pneumothorax.