[Mediastinal tumors in children]

Forty patients with primary mediastinal masses, treated at the Children's Hospital "La Fe" between 1971-1983, were review. Malignant neoplasms were the most common pathology in this series (23 cases), followed by benign lesions (10 cases), congenital malformations (five cases) and inflammatory diseases (two cases). Complementary explorations for the preoperative evaluation of theses masses is discussed. Surgical removal was carried out on all tumors. Mortality caused by performing biopsy on lymphomas was high. Two of the five congenital malformations were removed. The other three did not receive any therapy. All patients having benign tumors are alive except one who had a cardiac teratoma diagnosed at necropsy. Eleven of the patients with malignant neoplasms are alive, with a median follow-up time two years and nine months.