title: Vagal schwannoma.
abstract: A patient with a benign encapsulated intrathoracic vagal schwannoma is presented and the literature is reviewed. The right paratracheal tumor was identified incidentally on a chest film and excised using a right thoracotomy. Although rare, vagal schwannomas should be considered for any mediastinal mass along the vagus nerves especially when the paratracheal tumor produces minimal or no respiratory symptoms suggesting a slow-growing, encapsulated process.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Thoracic Surgery, Baltimore VA Medical Center, Maryland.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Heitmiller
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Labs
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lipsett
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology