title: Giant pericardial lipoma: unusual cause of intrathoracic mass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pericardial lipomas are rare clinical findings. We describe a case of pericardial/epicardial lipoma seen recently at our hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 68-year-old lady presented with a 1-year history of dull aching upper abdominal pain. A chest X-ray revealed a large mass lesion in the right hemithorax. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest defined the nature of the lesion. CT-guided fine needle aspiration cytology showed mature fat cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The large lipoma (19 x 10 x 4 cm, 1500 g) was completely excised along with a block of the parietal pericardium; through standard right posterolateral thoracotomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery. She is currently asymptomatic and has no evidence of recurrence at 18 months follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lipomas in the thoracic cavity are rare and pericardial lipomas even rarer. These are best identified on imaging studies including a CT scan. Complete surgical excision of the lipoma is the only mode of treatment and adequate surgery the only way to prevent future recurrences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. soumil_v@yahoo.com
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Pramesh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Deshpande
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008067:Lipoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged