title: [Pneumothorax secondary to congenital bronchial atresia].
abstract: We present a rare case of pneumothorax due to the perforation of bullae associated with congenital bronchial atresia. A 25-year-old woman complained of right chest pain and shortness of breath. Chest radiography revealed a right pneumothorax. Chest tube drainage was performed. When the lung re-expanded, chest computed tomography (CT) showed blind-ending B4 of the right middle lobe associated with mucoid impaction and hyperlucency of the corresponding lung parenchyma. Additionally, there were multiple air cysts located at the affected lung surface. A surgical procedure was considered because of persistent air leaks. At operation, several bullae projected above the pleural surface of the hyperinflated S4, and one of the bullae ruptured. A lateral segmentectomy of the middle lobe was successfully performed by thoracoscopy-assisted limited thoracotomy. Diagnosis of congenital bronchial atresia and subpleural bullae was confirmed by pathological examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Yokkaichi Municipal Hospital, Yokkaichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niimi
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gotoh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001980:Bronchi / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome