Superior Vena Cava Syndrome: An Uncommon Presentation of a Rare Colon Carcinoma Metastasis.

INTRODUCTION: Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is caused by obstruction of the superior vena cava due to vascular compression by a mass or intrinsic obstruction. The authors describe SVC syndrome caused by an isolated metastatic mediastinal mass from a resected primary colon carcinoma. CASE REPORT: An 81-year-old woman was referred to the hospital with swelling of the neck and upper left limb, dysphonia and dysphagia, associated with an involuntary weight loss of 16 kg. Mediastinal metastasis of colon adenocarcinoma was found, causing the SVC syndrome. The mass was unresectable and the patient was referred to palliative radiotherapy. DISCUSSION: Only 12 cases of mediastinal metastasis from colorectal cancer have been reported in the English literature. CONCLUSION: As a rare manifestation of colorectal cancer, the presented case highlights the need for clinicians to be aware of rare metastases at the time of diagnosis. LEARNING POINTS: Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome can result from vascular compression by a mass.Although mediastinal lymph node metastasis is rare in colorectal cancer, physicians should be aware of less common locations.Patients should have a close follow-up in order to avoid the growth of unresectable metastases, since surgery, when possible, can lead to a better prognosis.

Empyema necessitans: very late complication of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Empyema necessitans is a rare clinical finding nowadays. We report the case of a patient admitted in our ward for investigation of an unknown onset anterior chest wall mass, with no accompanying signs or symptoms. It is noteworthy that the patient had had pulmonary tuberculosis submitted to thoracoplasty more than 60 years before. Thoracic MRI showed a large heterogeneous mass, with a thick wall and internal septations located at the right anterior chest wall, as well as a heterogeneous content inside the right pleural cavity, with direct communication between both. An aspirative puncture of both masses was performed, with positive cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, thus leading to the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis with anterior chest wall empyema necessitans. A drain was inserted and antibiotics started. This case draws our attention to a very rare complication of pulmonary tuberculosis and its surgical treatment, though it aroused many decades after primary infection.