Giant retrosternal goiter masquerading as, right posterior mediastinal mass: a rare case report

Complete mediastinal plunging thyroid gland is a rare entity, accounting for 1% of all mediastinal tumours, particularly posterior mediastinal tumour much more rare. We would like to present, a 30-year-old lady presented to ENT department with neck swelling and its further investigation shown to be giant posterior mediastinal mass. Thyroid function tests were normal. CT scans of the neck and chest revealed a large right mediastinal mass compressing the trachea from the right side and extending to the superior part of the posterior mediastinum with enlarged right thyroid gland in the cervical position. Midline extended sternotomy was done for complete surgical excision of the mass along with right hemi thyroidectomy. It was well circumscribed, capsulated, multinodular firm inconsistency, and vascular. Histopathology revealed thyroid tissue negative for malignancy. Giant plunging thyroid in the mediastinum is very rare. It should be differentiated from other mediastinal mass. The plunging goiter in posterior mediastinum is surgically challenging. Transsternal surgical removal is the treatment of choice in such cases.

Preliminary experience of fetal management and thoracoscopic surgery for neonatal patients with mediasti-nal masses / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective To investigate the fetal management of prenatally diagnosed fetal mediastinal masses and the initial experience of neonatal thoracoscopic minimally invasive treatment. Methods We per-formed a retrospective study from November 2015 to November 2016 of all newborns affected by mediastinal masses and treated by thoracoscopic surgery. This group of cases were found with mediastinal masses by pre-natal ultrasound. The earliest detection of abnormal time was 16 to 31 weeks of pregnancy,with an average of 25 weeks. In the fetal period,the patients were treated with multidisciplinary consultation and individual man-agement. Prenatal examinations helped us except for chromosomal abnormalities and other organ abnormali-ties. After birth,the patients underwent CT and MRI examination. The diameter of the tumor was 1. 7 to 5. 7 cm,with an average of 3. 2 cm. The operative age was 4 to 29 days,with an average of 12. 4 days. This group of newborns were performed thoracoscopic mass resection and confirmed by intraoperative pathological exam-ination. Results After individualized precise prenatal management,all children were born successfully and confirmed that prenatal diagnosis was accurate. All mediastinal masses were completely excised in the neo-natal period. Five mediastinal masses were completely excised. One posterior mediastinum immature teratoma was converted to open thoracotomy. The mean operative duration was 112 min(100 to 150 min). There was no operative complication with a minimal amount of blood loss. With a smooth recovery,the hospital stay was 11-17 days. Pathological results included:1 esophageal duplication,2 bronchogenic cysts,1 lymphangioma, 1 cystic teratoma of anterior mediastinum,1 immature teratoma of posterior mediastinum. During a mean fol-low-up period of 8-14 months,neither complication nor recurrence occurred. Conclusion These are the pre-conditions for early treatment of neonatal patients with mediastinal masses,including definite prenatal diagno-sis,multidisciplinary consultation system and individualized and accurate fetal management. Throcoscopic ex-cision of mediastinal masses is both feasible and safe in neonates. Proper preoperative case selection may pre-vent a conversion into thoracotomy due to huge solid mass.

Perioperative anesthetic management of patients undergoing resection of huge mediastinal mass and recommendations for enhanced recovery after surgery protocol pathway / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective The mediastinal mass usually posed higher risk of anesthesia and surgery due to its especial anatomical position,and this study aimed to analyze the perioperative anesthetic management of 3 patients undergoing resection of huge mediastinal mass,to identify the potential risks for this type of surgery and to summarize the corresponding perioperative anesthetic management protocol.Methods Three cases recently underwent resection of huge mediastinal mass in our hospital were reviewed.Their preoperative assessment and preparation,intraoperative anesthetic management,postoperative pain management and special interventions needed in the perioperative period were summarized and analyzed retrospectively.The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol was established for this type of surgery based on the analysis mentioned above,evidence reported at home and abroad and currently available ERAS protocols for other surgeries.Results Pleural malignant solitary fibrous tumor,thymus squamous cell carcinoma and malignant mixed germ cell tumor were the three mediastinal masses.The preoperative assessment focused on the impact of tumor on other vital organs within the mediastinum;anesthesiologists focused on massive hemorrhage and severe complications such as cardiac insufficiency and respiratory insufficiency;all the three patients were sent to the intensive care unit after surgery for further treatment,successfully recovered and were discharged;improving postoperative analgesia was helpful for recovery after resection of huge mediastinal mass.Conclusion Perioperative anesthetic management of patients undergoing resection of huge mediastinal mass is related to high risk,and establishing specific ERAS protocol is helpful in reducing complications and in promoting recovery after surgery based on the currently available evidence and characteristics of this type of surgery.

Quiste pericárdico en un paciente con trasplante cardíaco: Descripción de un caso clínico / Pericardial Cyst in a Heart Transplant Patient: A Case Report

El quiste pericárdico es una entidad rara, de origen congénito, que acontece en el 7% de los casos de masas mediastínicas, localizado habitualmente en el lado derecho del pericardio y el mediastino anterior. En general, los pacientes evolucionan en forma asintomática, a excepción de los casos en los que el quiste presenta una localización fuera de los sitios mencionados o en los que por su tamaño condiciona síntomas. En los sintomáticos, las manifestaciones dependen del sitio, la localización del quiste y los órganos involucrados. En esta presentación se describe el caso clínico de un paciente a quien se le realizó un trasplante cardíaco y posteriormente desarrolló un quiste pericárdico.

Pericardial cysts are an uncommon congenital anomaly which represents 7% of mediastinal masses. Cysts frequently occur in the right cardiophrenic angle and in the anterior mediastinum. Although most pericardial cysts are asymptomatic, symptoms may develop in unusually located or large cysts. The clinical manifestations depend on the site of location and on the organs involved. We describe the case of a heart transplant patient who developed a pericardial cyst after transplantation.

Bócio ectópico intratorácico primário no mediastino posterior: relato de caso e revisão de literatura / Primary ectopic intrathoracic goiter in posterior mediastinum: a case report and review of the literature

O bócio ectópico intratorácico primário é entidade muito rara que corresponde à presença de tecido tireoidiano aberrante hiperplasiado, localizado no interior do tórax, sem possuir nenhum contatoou relação com a tireóide cervical, que se encontra geralmente com aspecto normal. Apresentamos um caso de paciente do sexo feminino, 61 anos de idade, com os achados de radiografia etomografia computadorizada, associado a revisão de literatura, demonstrando os achados de imagem, diagnósticos diferenciais, possíveis fatores etiológicos e os tratamentos.

The ectopic primary intrathoracic goiter is an uncommon tumor that corresponds to a hyperplasia of an ectopic thyroid tissue, that develops in the thorax, distinct from the cervical thyroid gland,which usually exists on its normal aspect. We report the case of a 61-year-old female patient, with the aspects of the radiograph and computed tomography examinations, comparing them with the literature, demonstrating the image aspects, differential diagnosis,possible etiology factors and treatments of the disease.

Videothoracoscopic treatment of mediastinal masses / 中国微创外科杂志

Objective To explore the feasibility of Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery(VATS)in the treatment of mediastinal diseases. Methods 39 patients underwent VATS for mediastinal diseases from May 1994 to February 2002.There were 20 males and 19 females with a mean age of 44.9 years(range 25～75 years).13 patients with thymoma,2 patient with invasive thymoma,10 patients with neurogenic benign tumor,3 patients with esophagus cyst,3patients with bronchus cyst,2 patient with pericardial cyst,1 patient with teratoma and 5 patients with other conditions were included in the study.General anesthesia,double lumen endotracheal tube placement and single lung ventilation were used.The patients were placed in the lateral decubitus position with 15? slope forward for posterior mediastinal mass or with 15?～30? slope backward for anterior mediastinal mass.The camera port was placed in the sixth or the seventh intercostal space between the anterior anxillary line and posterior anxillary line.Two or three ports placed according to the site of the tumor permitted an adequate working distance that maximized the range of dissection within the chest.Mini-invasive thoracotomy combined with VATS were performed for some patients when the solid tumor was more then 5 cm in diameter or when it was closely adhesire to surrounding organs Results All patients recovered uneventfully.36 patients underwent tumor removal by VATS alone and 3 patients received mini-invasive thoracotomy combined with VATS performance.The overall incidence of postoperative complication and mortality rate were 0. Conclusions VATS is a safe and effictive technique in the selective patients with mediastinal masses.