Urinothorax: a rare complication of total abdominal hysterectomy.
BACKGROUND
Urinothorax is defined as the presence of urine in the pleural cavity. This condition is due to the leakage of urine from the peritoneal and retroperitoneal space into the pleural space. We report a case of urinothorax after total abdominal hysterectomy.


METHODS
A premenopausal woman underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and left salpingo-oophorectomy for pelvic pain, requiring extensive dissection. Her postoperative course was complicated by right urinothorax, which was diagnosed after a diagnostic thoracocentesis and resolved after a therapeutic thoracocentesis and the repair of the urinary bladder rent.


CONCLUSIONS
Urinothorax can occur in cases of undiagnosed urinary tract injury. It presents as postoperative shortness of breath and pleural effusion and should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
Amro
Osama
O
From the Toledo Hospital; and Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo Ohio.
Webb-Smith
Frances
F
Sunderji
Shiraz
S
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006876:Hydrothorax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017697:Premenopause; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000293:injuries*; D014556:Urine