Korean J Pathol.  1999 Apr;33(4):281-284.

Spontaneous Pneumothorax as a Complication of Pulmonary Metastasis of Osteosarcoma A case report

• Kim MK
• Shin BK
• Oh WE
• Kim AR
• Won NH
• Choi JS

Abstract

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a known, but relatively rare complication of pulmonary metastases of sarcoma. A 19-year-old man was presented with chest pain and dyspnea for three days and was diagnosed as left pneumothorax. After bleb resection, microscopic examination revealed metastatic osteosarcoma forming subpleural fistula and dystrophic calcification. Four years ago, he had had limb salvage operation and chemotherapy for osteosarcoma of left femur. After two and a half years he had a bleb resection for right pneumothorax without any evidence of metastasis. Six months later, he was found to have a 4x3cm sized lung mass in the right lower lobe. After lobectomy, he was diagnosed as pulmonary metastasis of osteosarcoma. Pneumothorax is the common complication of metastatic osteosarcoma to the lung and it may be presented before the pulmonary metastasis is clinically evident. It is important to recognize a pneumothorax of the patients with osteosarcoma as a possible sign of metastases.

Keyword

Pneumothorax; Osteosarcoma; Metastasis

MeSH Terms

Blister
Chest Pain
Drug Therapy
Dyspnea
Femur
Fistula
Humans
Limb Salvage
Lung
Neoplasm Metastasis*
Osteosarcoma*
Pneumothorax*
Sarcoma
Young Adult