title: Ruptured thymoma causing mediastinal hemorrhage resected via partial sternotomy.
abstract: A case of a ruptured thymoma causing mediastinal hemorrhage and hemothorax that was electively resected by a partial sternotomy approach is presented. This case and others previously reported illustrate that a sudden onset of dyspnea and chest pain accompanied by acute mediastinal widening on chest roentgenogram in a previously healthy patient should suggest the diagnosis of a ruptured thymoma. An upper part sternotomy approach may be as safe and effective as a less invasive surgical procedure in resection of noninvasive thymomas, even if dense tumor adhesion exists.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Kagoshima University Faculty of Medicine, Japan. simokawa@med6.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakasegawa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed