[A case of panpleuropneumonectomy for diffuse pleural mesothelioma]

A 58-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of chest pain and dyspnea on July 15, 1999. A chest X-ray showed left pleural effusion, and a chest CT revealed left pleural effusion and diffuse pleural thickening. Because pleural fluid cytology and percutaneous needle pleural biopsy were negative for malignancy, thoracoscopic biopsy was performed on July 28. The biopsied specimen revealed malignant pleural mesothelioma (epithelial type). An operation was performed on August 16. First, mediastinal lymph node dissection was performed and we identified that there was no lymph node metastasis by frozen section diagnosis. Then panpleuropneumonectomy with combined resection of the diaphragm and pericardium was performed.