Treatment of Primary Pneumothorax in Pregnancy With Thoracostomy Tube and Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery

Spontaneous primary pneumothorax is a rare, potentially life-threatening complication that can occur during a pregnancy. Due to the rarity of this condition (1.2 - 6 in 100,000 women), with even less prevalence in pregnancy, guidelines regarding optimal treatment are lacking and are limited to case reports and case series. Management is primarily based on a risk benefit ratio for the mother and unborn child. We present a case of a pregnant patient presenting with chest pain and shortness of breath diagnosed with a spontaneous pneumothorax during the second trimester of pregnancy. Initial treatment with thoracostomy tube was not successful. The patient underwent a successful video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) pleurodesis with a wedge blebectomy. She continued the pregnancy with no recurrences. After failed thoracostomy tube, surgical intervention in pregnancy can be offered as definitive management for pregnant women. J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2024;13(2):35-40 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcgo938