[Catamenial pneumothorax: a rare manifestation of endometriosis].

Catamenial pneumothorax is an rare disease which arise in women during menses, etiologically related to endometriosis of diaphragm and lung. The five observations and literature review are presented. During 2006-2008 years 45 women with spontaneous pneumothorax were treated at Kyiv Clinical Hospital Number 17. Among them, catamenial pneumothorax was recognized in 5. In 3 women, diagnosis was established based on clinical data and thoracoscopy results, in 2--the cause of recurrent pneumothorax was seen intraoperatively. All the patients were operated on, in 2--videothoracoscopic diaphragm plication was done, in 2--we performed video-assisted resection of the affected part of the diaphragm, in 1--partial resection of the diaphragm was done with lateral thoracotomy. Abrasion of parietal pleura was performed in all patients. Endometrioid implants in the resected parts of diaphragm were confirmed histologically. No recurrences were observed during the average 32 months. The treatment of catamenial pneumothorax is symptomatic, to prevent recurrences and avoid illness every month. Since catamenial pneumothorax is caused by thoracic endometriosis, decisions on treatment should be made with a gynecologist's opinion.