Platypnea and orthodeoxia in thymic tumor

Platypnea is a rare symptom in which, as opposed to orthopnea, dyspnea occurs in the sitting position and is relieved when the patient lies down. It has been reported in patients with severe obstructive emphysema, vascular shunt and following recovery from adult respiratory distress syndrome or pneumonectomy. Described here is a patient with thymic tumor in whom platypnea and orthodeoxia were noted and in whom both disappeared postoperatively