Catamenial Pneumothorax: A rare but important cause of chest pain in young adult females in the Ghanaian population

Catamenial Pneumothorax: A rare but important cause of chest pain in young adult females

Abstract

Catamenial Pneumothorax refers to a spontaneous pneumothorax due to thoracic endometriosis, often associated with menstruation in young women. It forms part of the spectrum of thoracic endometriosis syndrome, a term used to describe the occurrence of pneumothorax, hemothorax, haemoptysis, or chest pain associated with menstruation. We present three females between the ages of 30 and 40 years who sought medical attention at the Emergency Department of the University of Ghana Medical Centre with complaints of chest pain and difficulty breathing associated with their menstrual cycle. In all three cases, chest X-rays revealed right-sided pneumothoraxes. The diagnosis of Catamenial Pneumothorax was made in all three cases based on clinical findings. This write-up aims to underscore the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for diagnosing catamenial pneumothorax in young women presenting to the Emergency Department with cyclical chest pain associated with menstruation.