Herniación pulmonar intercostal: a propósito de un caso

Intercostal lung hernia is a rare entity. It can be classified as congenital or acquired, and then as pathological, traumatic or spontaneous, the latter being the least common. Symptoms are variable and frequently masked within those secondary to traumas. The differential diagnosis should be considered in patients with persistent postthoracotomy chest pain. The computed tomography (CT) is the best test for its diagnosis and therapeutic approach, which is usually controversial. Although surgical management may be indicated on diagnosis, as in big hernial sac or complicated ones, conservative treatment should be considered in a select group of patients with controversial results. As surgical options, the lowest rate of relapse is obtained through the use of a mesh. We report a case of a patient with intercostal lung hernia, and review the literature regarding etiology, diagnosis and treatment of this entity.