Ásdís Kristjánsdóttir¹

Gunnar Mýrdal²

Margrét Sigurðardóttir³

Reynir Tómas Geirsson⁴

 

¹Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, ²Department of Surgery, Landspitali University Hospital, ³Department of Pathology, Landspitali University Hospital, ⁴Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women´s Clinic, Landspitali University Hospital.

Correspondence: Ásdís Kristjánsdóttir, ask41@hi.is

Key words: endometriosis, pneumothorax, thoracic complications, pleurodesis.

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.