Unilateral white-out lung: thoracic thymolipoma.

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Pathology

Background:

• Mediastinal masses can present with diverse symptoms, impacting respiratory function.
• Thymolipoma, a rare benign tumor of thymic origin, requires accurate diagnosis and management.
• Teenage patients with respiratory distress necessitate prompt investigation of potential thoracic pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a case of thymolipoma in a teenage girl with significant cardiorespiratory compromise.
• To illustrate the diagnostic process and successful surgical management of a large anterior mediastinal thymolipoma.
• To emphasize the favorable long-term prognosis following complete excision of thymolipoma.

Main Methods:

• Clinical presentation analysis including orthopnoea and exertional dyspnoea.
• Radiological assessment using chest radiography and contrast-enhanced CT scan.
• Histopathological examination following ultrasound-guided biopsy and surgical excision.

Main Results:

• A massive, fat-containing anterior mediastinal mass was identified, causing contralateral tracheo-mediastinal shift.
• Biopsy and subsequent histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of thymolipoma.
• Complete surgical excision via sternotomy resulted in full clinical and radiological recovery.

Conclusions:

• Thymolipoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal masses, especially in young patients with respiratory symptoms.
• Multimodality imaging and biopsy are crucial for accurate diagnosis.
• Complete surgical resection is curative, offering an excellent long-term outcome.