Endometriosis Presenting as Pneumothorax: Rare Entity of Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome — A Case Report and Review of Literature

Endometriosis affects roughly 10% (190 million) of women and girls of reproductive age globally, having significant social, public health and economic implications. It can decrease quality of life due to severe pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety and infertility. It can present as varied symptoms but presentation as pneumothorax is not only rare but difficult to diagnose. We report a case of a 45-year-old female presenting with recurrent right-sided pneumothorax coinciding with her menstrual cycle. Surgical exploration confirmed the diagnosis. The patient underwent a right-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with repair of diaphragmatic fenestrations and pleurodesis. There was no recurrence of symptoms on follow-up. This case highlights the importance of a high index of suspicion in reproductive-aged women with recurrent pneumothorax. This entity is also termed as catamenial pneumothorax (CP).