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Ectopic Pleural Thymoma : Report of a case
J Goeteyn1, M-Ch Martens, B Moors
1Departments of Surgery, AZ Sint-Elizabeth, Zottegem, Belgium.
Acta Chirurgica Belgica
|May 30, 2015
Summary
This case report details an ectopic thymoma, a rare anterior mediastinum tumor, found in the right pleural cavity. Surgical resection was successfully performed using a right lateral thoracotomy due to the tumor's unusual location.
Area of Science:
- Thoracic Surgery
- Surgical Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Thymomas are the most common anterior mediastinum neoplasms, typically resected via medial sternotomy.
- Ectopic thymomas, rare variants, present diagnostic and surgical challenges due to their atypical locations.
Observation:
- A 76-year-old female presented with a large (12.5 × 9 × 11 cm) nodal lesion in the right pleural cavity.
- Preoperative imaging and histology suggested an ectopic thymoma, World Health Organization (WHO) type B1.
- The tumor showed no continuity with the superior anterior mediastinum, confirming its ectopic nature.
Findings:
- Complete resection of the ectopic thymoma was achieved using a right lateral thoracotomy.
- Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis as thymoma type B1.
- This approach was chosen due to the tumor's rare location, deviating from the standard medial sternotomy.
Implications:
- This case highlights the successful use of right lateral thoracotomy for ectopic thymoma resection.
- It expands the understanding of surgical approaches for rare thymic neoplasms in unusual locations.
- Further research into optimal surgical strategies for ectopic thymomas is warranted.
