Invasive thymoma (a case report)

A 10-year old Nigerian boy was admitted to hospital with a history of swelling in the neck, change of voice, dysphagia and dyspnoea of 2 weeks duration. He died on the 2nd day of admission. Autopsy revealed a thymoma infiltrating the thyroid, trachea and neck muscles and transforming the tracheal lumen into a slit like space. The condition is considered worthy of record on account of its rarity and of the short clinical course terminating in death. The authors feel that the most important factor in determining the prognosis of thymoma is the presence or absence of gross invasion.