title: Acute respiratory distress caused by massive thymolipoma.
abstract: The authors present the case of a 40-year-old female with a massive anterior mediastinal tumor who presented with acute respiratory distress. She required emergent intubation and ventilatory support for respiratory compromise caused by lung compression. Preoperative computed tomographic scan results suggested a mediastinal lipomatous mass. Resection of the tumor resulted in immediate improvement in her pulmonary status. Because thymolipomas can attain enormous dimensions and compress adjacent structures, they should be resected at the time of diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Joseph B. Whitehead Department of Surgery, Grady Memorial Hospital, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. mhalkos@emory.edu
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Halkos
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Symbas
authors.forename: Panagiotis N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Symbas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008067:Lipoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed