Tuberc Respir Dis.
2004 Mar;56(3):321-323. 10.4046/trd.2004.56.3.321.
A Single Thorax (Buffalo Chest)
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, Korea. pulho@korea.com
- 2Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, Korea.
- 3Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, Korea.
- KMID: 2132960
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2004.56.3.321
Abstract
- A-59-year old man was admitted to the hospital with a 2-month history of the right pleuritic chest discomfort and mild dyspnea. Seven years earlier, he was operated on left pneumonectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of left upper lobe (Stage IIb, T2N1M0). The computed tomographic scan revealed an anterior herniation of the right lung in the left hemithorax. A single thorax after receiving pneumonectomy is called a "buffalo chest" because the absence of an anatomical separation of the two hemithoraxes resembles that of the North American buffalo or bison. A possible pneumothorax should be catastrophic for the patient, so he should be closely monitored regarding any invasive procedure or trauma. He improved after symptomatic treatment.
