title: Teratoma masquerading as catamenial pleural effusion.
abstract: Pleural effusion is a common clinical entity in medical practice. We report a case wherein extensive investigations failed to yield a diagnosis and medical management including repeated thoracocentesis left the effusion refractory. The patient, a 26 years lady, gave a definite history of catamenial dry cough and wheeze. The mystery was unraveled following exploratory thoracotomy when a giant mediastinal teratomatous cyst with luteinized ovarian tissue was discovered and removed, leading to eventual cure for the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Panicker
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jothy Dev
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sandhyamani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madhusudanan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unnikrishnan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arjun
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Dash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000209:etiology*; D013724:Teratoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed