Ectopic thymoma of the chest wall.
A case of ectopic thymoma arising from the chest wall is reported. A chest wall tumour involving the third and fourth ribs and extending extrapleurally and subpectorally was resected following a histopathological diagnosis of hemangioendothelioma obtained at initial incision biopsy. Pathological examination of the excised mass, revealed appearances consistent with a malignant thymoma. No primary thymic tumour was present in the anterior mediastinum so we conclude that the tumour originated in ectopic thymic tissue. To our knowledge a primary thymoma arising within the chest wall has not been reported.
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, Liverpool L14 3 PE, UK. kardiac_pai@rediffmail.com
Krishnanand R
KR
Pai
Vinutha R
VR
Thonse
B
B
Azadeh
Richard D
RD
Page