[Three cases of catamenial pneumothorax]

Three cases of catamenial pneumothorax were presented. A 42-year-old woman with intrapelvic endometriosis had recurrent right-sided pneumothorax with menstruation more than six times. At the operation only a bleb was noted at the apex of the right lung. In a 16-year-old woman who already had been operated on for recurrent right-sided pneumothorax one year ago, left-sided pneumothorax occurred on the day of the beginning of each menstruation four times. A small bleb was noted at the apex. A 29-year-old woman with cesarean section at the age of 25 had recurrent right-sided pneumothorax occurring on the day before the beginning of menstruation three times. Though the operation was performed during her menstrual period, neither air leakage nor any lesions were found. In all cases each lesion was resected and did not prove endometriosis, and partial parietal pleurectomy was performed for pleurodesis. No pneumothorax has recurred.