The Legend of the Buffalo Chest

Marielle M. J. Blacha; Illaa Smesseim; Ivo van der Lee; Joost G. van den Aardweg; Marcus J. Schultz; Marja L. J. Kik; Linda van Sonsbeek; Bernadette S. de Bakker; Richard W. Light

doi:10.1016/j.chest.2021.06.043

The Legend of the Buffalo Chest

Marielle M. J. Blacha, Illaa Smesseim^*, Ivo van der Lee, Joost G. van den Aardweg, Marcus J. Schultz, Marja L. J. Kik, Linda van Sonsbeek, Bernadette S. de Bakker, Richard W. Light

^*Corresponding author for this work

Pulmonary medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background: The “buffalo chest” is a condition in which a simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax occurs due to a communication of both pleural cavities caused by an iatrogenic or idiopathic fenestration of the mediastinum. This rare condition is known by many clinicians because of a particular anecdote which stated that Native Americans could kill a North American bison with a single arrow in the chest by creating a simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax, due to the animal's peculiar anatomy in which there is one contiguous pleural space due to an incomplete mediastinum. Research Question: What evidence is there for the existence of buffalo chest? Study Design and Methods: The term “buffalo chest” and its anecdote were first mentioned in a ‘‘personal communication’’ by a veterinarian in the Annals of Surgery in 1984. A mixed method research was performed on buffalo chest and its etiology. A total of 47 cases of buffalo chest were identified in humans. Results: This study found that all authors were referring to the article from 1984 or to each other. Evidence was found for interpleural communications in other mammal species, but no literature on the anatomy of the mediastinum of the bison was found. The main reason for this research was fact-checking the origin of the anecdote and search for evidence for the existence of buffalo chest. Autopsies were performed on eight bison, and four indeed were found to have had interpleural communications. Interpretation: We hypothesize that humans can also have interpleural fenestrations, which can be diagnosed when a pneumothorax occurs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2275-2282
Number of pages	8
Journal	Chest
Volume	160
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2021.06.043
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2021

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10.1016/j.chest.2021.06.043

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@article{f8664ba8cce740d4a01fb69081fecb5c,

title = "The Legend of the Buffalo Chest",

abstract = "Background: The “buffalo chest” is a condition in which a simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax occurs due to a communication of both pleural cavities caused by an iatrogenic or idiopathic fenestration of the mediastinum. This rare condition is known by many clinicians because of a particular anecdote which stated that Native Americans could kill a North American bison with a single arrow in the chest by creating a simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax, due to the animal's peculiar anatomy in which there is one contiguous pleural space due to an incomplete mediastinum. Research Question: What evidence is there for the existence of buffalo chest? Study Design and Methods: The term “buffalo chest” and its anecdote were first mentioned in a {\textquoteleft}{\textquoteleft}personal communication{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} by a veterinarian in the Annals of Surgery in 1984. A mixed method research was performed on buffalo chest and its etiology. A total of 47 cases of buffalo chest were identified in humans. Results: This study found that all authors were referring to the article from 1984 or to each other. Evidence was found for interpleural communications in other mammal species, but no literature on the anatomy of the mediastinum of the bison was found. The main reason for this research was fact-checking the origin of the anecdote and search for evidence for the existence of buffalo chest. Autopsies were performed on eight bison, and four indeed were found to have had interpleural communications. Interpretation: We hypothesize that humans can also have interpleural fenestrations, which can be diagnosed when a pneumothorax occurs.",

keywords = "buffalo chest, pleural diseases, pneumothorax",

author = "Blacha, {Marielle M. J.} and Illaa Smesseim and {van der Lee}, Ivo and {van den Aardweg}, {Joost G.} and Schultz, {Marcus J.} and Kik, {Marja L. J.} and {van Sonsbeek}, Linda and {de Bakker}, {Bernadette S.} and Light, {Richard W.}",

note = "Funding Information: Author contributions: M. M. J. B. and I. S. contributed equally to the literature search, figure creation, study design, data collection, data interpretation, and writing. I. v. d. L. J. G. v. n. A. M. J. S. M. L. J. K. L. v. S. B. S. d. e. B. and R. W. L. contributed to the study design, data interpretation, and writing. Financial/nonfinancial disclosures: None declared. Other contributions: The authors thank Bibi Kwa, MD, PhD, Kris Mooren, MD, Dominic Snijders, MD, PhD, Martin Bard, MD, PhD, Frans Krouwels, MD, PhD, Carla Weenink, MD, Christian Melissant, MD, Maarten Sulzer, MD, Jolien Lind, MD, PhD, Ivo van der Lee, MD, PhD, Kenneth Throlson, DVM, Pieter Cornillie, DVM, PhD, Louis van den Boom, DVM, Friso van Dalen, and Brush Meat Processors for their support for this research. FUNDING/SUPPORT: The authors have reported to CHEST that no funding was received for this study. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",

year = "2021",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.chest.2021.06.043",

language = "English",

volume = "160",

pages = "2275--2282",

journal = "Chest",

issn = "0012-3692",

publisher = "American College of Chest Physicians",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Legend of the Buffalo Chest

AU - Blacha, Marielle M. J.

AU - Smesseim, Illaa

AU - van der Lee, Ivo

AU - van den Aardweg, Joost G.

AU - Schultz, Marcus J.

AU - Kik, Marja L. J.

AU - van Sonsbeek, Linda

AU - de Bakker, Bernadette S.

AU - Light, Richard W.

N1 - Funding Information: Author contributions: M. M. J. B. and I. S. contributed equally to the literature search, figure creation, study design, data collection, data interpretation, and writing. I. v. d. L. J. G. v. n. A. M. J. S. M. L. J. K. L. v. S. B. S. d. e. B. and R. W. L. contributed to the study design, data interpretation, and writing. Financial/nonfinancial disclosures: None declared. Other contributions: The authors thank Bibi Kwa, MD, PhD, Kris Mooren, MD, Dominic Snijders, MD, PhD, Martin Bard, MD, PhD, Frans Krouwels, MD, PhD, Carla Weenink, MD, Christian Melissant, MD, Maarten Sulzer, MD, Jolien Lind, MD, PhD, Ivo van der Lee, MD, PhD, Kenneth Throlson, DVM, Pieter Cornillie, DVM, PhD, Louis van den Boom, DVM, Friso van Dalen, and Brush Meat Processors for their support for this research. FUNDING/SUPPORT: The authors have reported to CHEST that no funding was received for this study. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

PY - 2021/12/1

Y1 - 2021/12/1

N2 - Background: The “buffalo chest” is a condition in which a simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax occurs due to a communication of both pleural cavities caused by an iatrogenic or idiopathic fenestration of the mediastinum. This rare condition is known by many clinicians because of a particular anecdote which stated that Native Americans could kill a North American bison with a single arrow in the chest by creating a simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax, due to the animal's peculiar anatomy in which there is one contiguous pleural space due to an incomplete mediastinum. Research Question: What evidence is there for the existence of buffalo chest? Study Design and Methods: The term “buffalo chest” and its anecdote were first mentioned in a ‘‘personal communication’’ by a veterinarian in the Annals of Surgery in 1984. A mixed method research was performed on buffalo chest and its etiology. A total of 47 cases of buffalo chest were identified in humans. Results: This study found that all authors were referring to the article from 1984 or to each other. Evidence was found for interpleural communications in other mammal species, but no literature on the anatomy of the mediastinum of the bison was found. The main reason for this research was fact-checking the origin of the anecdote and search for evidence for the existence of buffalo chest. Autopsies were performed on eight bison, and four indeed were found to have had interpleural communications. Interpretation: We hypothesize that humans can also have interpleural fenestrations, which can be diagnosed when a pneumothorax occurs.

AB - Background: The “buffalo chest” is a condition in which a simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax occurs due to a communication of both pleural cavities caused by an iatrogenic or idiopathic fenestration of the mediastinum. This rare condition is known by many clinicians because of a particular anecdote which stated that Native Americans could kill a North American bison with a single arrow in the chest by creating a simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax, due to the animal's peculiar anatomy in which there is one contiguous pleural space due to an incomplete mediastinum. Research Question: What evidence is there for the existence of buffalo chest? Study Design and Methods: The term “buffalo chest” and its anecdote were first mentioned in a ‘‘personal communication’’ by a veterinarian in the Annals of Surgery in 1984. A mixed method research was performed on buffalo chest and its etiology. A total of 47 cases of buffalo chest were identified in humans. Results: This study found that all authors were referring to the article from 1984 or to each other. Evidence was found for interpleural communications in other mammal species, but no literature on the anatomy of the mediastinum of the bison was found. The main reason for this research was fact-checking the origin of the anecdote and search for evidence for the existence of buffalo chest. Autopsies were performed on eight bison, and four indeed were found to have had interpleural communications. Interpretation: We hypothesize that humans can also have interpleural fenestrations, which can be diagnosed when a pneumothorax occurs.

KW - buffalo chest

KW - pleural diseases

KW - pneumothorax

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U2 - 10.1016/j.chest.2021.06.043

DO - 10.1016/j.chest.2021.06.043

M3 - Article

C2 - 34216606

VL - 160

SP - 2275

EP - 2282

JO - Chest

JF - Chest

SN - 0012-3692

IS - 6

ER -

The Legend of the Buffalo Chest

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