Apical Parietal Pleural Holes: What Are They?

Abstract

We report the incidental discovery of an apical pleural abnormality characterized by the presence of pleural holes during video-thoracoscopic surgery for upper limb hyperhidrosis. Patients were 4 males and one female with a median age of 24 years. These pleural anomalies were left sided in all cases with a maximum diameter of 5 mm. One of the defects was double. There was neither air leakage nor water leakage after irrigation. Our hypothesis is that the revealed pleural defect is a precursor of cervical lung hernia.

Key words

Thoracic surgery - pleura - anatomy

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