A 36-Year-Old Woman With Recurrent Pneumothoraces

Abstract

A 36-year-old woman with no significant medical history was referred to our institution for evaluation of recurrent pneumothoraces. She had had approximately 16 right-sided pneumothoraces over the prior 3 years. Her pneumothoraces were accompanied by chest pain, and they all presented within 3 days of her menstrual period. She had had three pleurodeses over the prior 3 years. Additionally, she underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) exploration, and her diaphragm was reported as normal. She had had a lung biopsy done, which only revealed normal lung parenchyma.