Medical image of the week: pulmonary herniation

A 49-year-old obese gentleman with a known history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus and GERD presented with complaints of a popping sensation in his left chest with coughing and deep breathing, associated with pain at the same site. Physical examination showed small bulge at the level of the herniation that was most obvious with coughing. CT scan of chest done 2 months ago showed 2. 5 cm pulmonary hernia identified at the left 7-8 costal interspace (Figures 1 and 2). This was thought to have resulted from an open lung biopsy of his left lung done 4 years before presentation to evaluate for acute respiratory failure or chest tube insertion at same site 3 years prior to presentation for treatment of a pneumothorax. Surgical repair was done with round Bard Kugel hernia patch. His symptoms resolved after the procedure