Repair of a Pulmonary Hernia after Thoracotomy with an Intrapleural Mesh: a Case Report

Pulmonary hernias are rare. They can be congenital, but mostly are acquired. Usually asymptomatic, they are diagnosed on physical examination or, incidentally, on imaging exams. Surgical treatment is required for large, increasing, or symptomatic hernias, and incarcerated or strangulated ones. This is a clinical case of a symptomatic postoperative pulmonary hernia. It occurred two years after a posterolateral thoracotomy for the resection of an intercostal myxolipoma. The tumor was resected en bloc with a partial segment of the 10th left rib and immediate reconstruction was made with an onlay polypropylene mesh. The postoperative hernia was successfully treated with a double-faced mesh of polypropylene and ePTFE. This surgery provided a functional and aesthetic enhancement for the patient, greatly improving his quality of life. This approach is, therefore, considered safe and effective.