PurposeThe azygoesophageal recess (AER) is known as a possible cause of bulla formation in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. However, there has been little focus on the depth of the AER. We evaluated the relationship between the depth of the AER and pneumothorax development.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of 80 spontaneous pneumothorax patients who underwent surgery at our institution. We evaluated the depth of the AER on preoperative computed tomography scans.ResultsRuptured bullae at the AER were found in 12 patients (52.2%) with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) and 8 patients (14.0%) with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) (p?<?0.001). In patients with ruptured bullae at the AER, 10 SSP patients (83.3%) had a deep AER while only 2 PSP patients (25%) had a deep AER (p?=?0.015).ConclusionsA deep AER was more frequently associated with SSP than with PSP. A deep AER may contributes to bulla formation and rupture in SSP patients. |
