[Spontaneous pneumothorax in cats: two case reports and literature review]

Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) is a non-traumatic accumulation of air in the pleural cavity. This case report describes a cat with SP as a result of primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma. A second cat was diagnosed with primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma and asthma. A thoracostomy tube was inserted in the first cat while in the second cat a thoracostomy tube was placed and lobectomy of the right cranial and middle lung lobes was performed. Both cats died following treatment. The current literature reviewed here covers the comparative etiologies of SP as well as clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, therapy and prognosis in cats. A total of 64 cases of cats with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax reported in nine articles are discussed. To our knowledge, there has been no previous description in the literature regarding primary SP in cats. Based on prior case reports, surgery was performed in 16% (10 cats) of SP cases. The current review demonstrates that depending on the underlying lung disease, cats with SP have a careful short-term prognosis because 39 of 64 cats (60%) were discharged.