[Secondary Pneumothorax due to Rupture of Pulmonary Rheumatoid Nodule:Report of a Case].

The patient is a 69-year-old man with a 15-year history of rheumatoid arthritis. He has admitted to our hospital due to dyspnea, and his chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed right pneumothorax. Chest CT scan four months before the onset of pneumothorax demonstrated subpleural nodule with cavity in the right lung. After chest drainage treatment, video-assisted thoracic surgery was performed. The pulmonary nodule of his right upper lobe was successfully excised. The histopathological examination showed the features of a rheumatoid nodule with bacterial infection. Pneumothorax secondary to rheumatoid nodule is a rare complication of rheumatoid arthritis.