[Mediastinal schwannoma resected through the 10th intercostal space via a posterolateral thoracotomy]

A 64-year-old woman with a mediastinal tumor incidentally found on computed tomography( CT) was referred to our hospital. CT and magnetic resonance imaging( MRI) showed the tumor had a clear border and was located on the right side of the 12th thoracic vertebra, spanning the thoracic and abdominal cavities. She was suspected of having a benign neurogenic tumor of the mediastinum. She underwent tumor resection through the tenth intercostal space via a posterolateral thoracotomy. We easily resected the tumor using this approach. Pathological examination revealed a benign schwannoma of the mediastinum. Although this approach is rarely chosen by thoracic surgery, it is sometimes useful for the resection of mediastinal tumors near the diaphragm.