ABSTRACT
We present a case of a 17-year male with a soft tissue density spreading from the neural foramina [T3] of the spinal cord and involving the right upper thoracic cavity. We managed the patient through surgical intervention and resected the complete tumor. Gross definition and microscopic findings of the resected tissue revealed the definitive diagnosis of melanotic schwannoma. The histological characteristics in this case were very specific and harbour an important diagnostic clue for this rare disease. Malignant melanoma was ruled out on the basis of histological findings. The patient recovered completely and was healthy on one-year follow-up
ABSTRACT
Forgotten goiter is a rare occurrence [2 - 16% of retrosternal thyroid cases] that depicts recurrence of retrosternal thyroid mass due to growth of remnant thyroid tissue overlooked during an initial thyroidectomy. The patient is a 59-year female who presented with dyspnea and stridor 25 years after total thyroidectomy. She was diagnosed as having a mediastinal mass on radiographic imaging. There were only localized pressure symptoms due to mass effect. The mass was excised employing an extra-cervical approach and using a partial sternotomy. The profuse extension of thyroid tissue, adherent to vital structures in the thorax and the extra-cervical thyroidectomy was a novel experience. The mass was completely excised and the patients symptoms alleviated after the surgery. The patient recovered without any complications and there was no recurrence at 1 year of follow-up