title: Shock induced by spontaneous rupture of a giant thymoma.
abstract: Spontaneous bleeding of thymoma is a very rare event. We report the case of a 73-year-old woman who was referred to our hospital for acute onset of chest pain followed by shock. Chest computed tomographic scanning showed a huge mediastinal tumor with abundant left pleural effusion and contralateral shift of the mediastinum. Emergency surgical treatment was carried out through a clamshell incision. At the opening of the left pleura 1,600 mL of fresh blood was found, originating from a rupture of the tumor's capsular veins. The lesion was completely resected, en-bloc with a wide pericardial excision. The postoperative course was uneventful. The pathology report classified the lesion as thymoma AB.
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Perugia, Medical School, Terni, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Santoprete
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Ragusa
authors: Moira
authors: M
authors: Urbani
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Puma
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012769:Shock / Q000150:complications*; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods; D013945:Thymoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome