Diagnostic approach and management of bilateral pneumothorax due to silicosis in Indonesian male: A rare case

Risa Natalia Siburian; Kristin Purnama Dewi; Winariani Koesoemoprodjo

doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2022.107407

Diagnostic approach and management of bilateral pneumothorax due to silicosis in Indonesian male: A rare case

Int J Surg Case Rep. 2022 Aug:97:107407. doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2022.107407. Epub 2022 Jul 11.

Authors

Risa Natalia Siburian¹, Kristin Purnama Dewi¹, Winariani Koesoemoprodjo²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga - Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia.
² Department of Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga - Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia. Electronic address: winariani.koesoemoprodjo22@gmail.com.

Abstract

Background: Bilateral pneumothorax due to silicosis was a rare case, so diagnosis and management are essential to the report.

Case presentation: A 29-year-old Indonesian male complained of shortness of breath, cough, and body weight loss. Medical history interpreted pulmonary tuberculosis and successful treatment in 6 months. Physical examination and chest radiograph showed bilateral pneumothorax. The patient was diagnosed with bilateral pneumothorax due to silicosis and treated usage chest tube insertion and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The patient has improved his condition after a few days of receiving post-surgery treatment.

Discussion: Exposure to silica can determine through a spectrophotometer. The therapy of silicosis is still challenging because of the disease's progressivity and complications.

Conclusion: Silicosis is not only a chronic and progressive disease but also leads to many complications, including bilateral pneumothorax.

Keywords: Bilateral pneumothorax; Silica; Silicosis; VATS.