Malignant pleural mesothelioma presenting with a spontaneous hydropneumothorax: a report of 2 cases.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) originates in the mesothelial cells that line the pleural cavities. Most patients initially experience the insidious onset of chest pain or shortness of breath and have a history of asbestos exposure. It rarely presents as spontaneous pneumothorax. We report here two cases where malignant pleural mesothelioma presented with a spontaneous hydropneumothorax and was only discovered following surgery. We emphasise the need for a chest CT-scan preoperatively in older patients presenting with a secondary pneumo/hydropneumothorax.