Ectopic pancreas in a giant mediastinal cyst

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Gastroenterology
• Medical Anomaly

Background:

• Ectopic pancreas is an extremely rare congenital anomaly.
• Mediastinal cysts can cause significant respiratory compromise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of ectopic pancreas within a giant mediastinal cyst.
• To review the literature on mediastinal ectopic pancreas.

Main Methods:

• Case presentation of an 18-year-old male with dyspnea.
• Surgical resection via median sternotomy.
• Comprehensive literature review of previously reported cases.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with dyspnea due to extrinsic compression of the left main bronchus by a giant mediastinal cyst.
• Complete surgical resection achieved relief of bronchial compression.
• Literature review identified 20 prior cases, typically large (>10 cm), anterior, cystic, and benign.

Conclusions:

• Ectopic pancreatic mediastinal cysts are rare but can cause severe symptoms.
• Surgical resection is the standard treatment with a favorable prognosis.
• Careful preoperative planning is essential due to the potential surgical challenges.