[Spontaneous pneumothorax in pregnancy. Case report].
BACKGROUND
Spontaneous pneumothorax is a rare condition during pregnancy. The most common cause is the rupture of a subpleural apical bulla or bleb, due to the increased respiratory demand of the peripartum period. The main risk for the mother is respiratory compromise; fetal risks include reduction in oxygen supply and preterm labor. The risk of recurrence is 30-40%, particularly during labor. Treatment is based on the magnitude of pneumothorax. Up to 75% of patients are treated with chest tube drainage. We present the case report of a previously healthy patient.


METHODS
Our patient was a 22-year-old female at 24.2 weeks of her second pregnancy. The patient was a non-smoker, had no history of any drug addictions, and no history of previous pulmonary disease. The patient presented with sudden onset of pleuritic right-sided pleuritic chest pain associated with dyspnea. Chest examination was notable for decreased breath sounds and hyperresonance over the right hemithorax. Chest radiography showed right spontaneous pneumothorax with total lung collapse.


CONCLUSIONS
Diagnosis of pneumothorax should be considered in any pregnant woman with chest pain and dyspnea. The presented case was successfully treated with closed intercostal chest tube thoracostomy for 7 weeks.
Pinedo-Onofre
Javier Alfonso
JA
División de Cirugía y Servicio de Cirugía de Tórax, Hospital Central Ignacio Morones Prieto, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México. dr_creatura@hotmail.com
Ortiz-Castillo
Fátima Guadalupe
FG
Guevara-Torres
Lorenzo
L
Aguillón-Luna
Arturo
A
D000328:Adult; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D015505:Chest Tubes; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous