Posterolateral thoracotomy Approach for an Ectopic Mediastinum Thymoma: A Case Report

Abstract

Thymic epithelial neoplasms are commonly aetiology of the anterior mediastinum masses in adults. It represents 20–30% of all mediastinal tumours in adults. Ectopic thymomas usually affect the neck, mediastinal compartments, lung, and pleura, arising from aberrant thymic tissue. For giant thymoma, there is still no consensus on the surgical approach. We herein report a patient with a giant thymoma that was successfully resected through a large right posterolateral thoracotomy. We report a rare case of a giant thymoma in the posterior mediastinal. Our patient underwent a conventional posterolateral thoracotomy to remove the mass. This latter was histologically diagnosed as a WHO classification type AB thymoma and Masaoka stage I. The choice of surgical approach of mediastinal tumor is based on the tumour topography, the assessment of tumour extension and extirpation, the surgeon's experience and clinical symptomatology. A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory to achieve good results.

Keywords

• mediastinal tumour
• posterolateral thoracotomy
• thymic epithelial neoplasms
• thymectomy
• thymoma