title: Thoracoscopic resection of a giant teratoma compressing the right heart.
abstract: A 26-year old female had an incidental finding of a cystic mediastinal mass (10.8 × 9.4 × 10.0 cm) in the inferior-anterior mediastinum. It had compressed the superior vena cava, right atrium and right ventricle, and additional imaging studies could not exclude right heart involvement. She underwent exploration via right thoracoscopy (video-assisted thoracoscopy), and the right groin vessels were isolated for bypass, if needed. Examination of the mass revealed its extrapericardial origin from the thymus. Complete resection was achieved with minimally invasive techniques through a 2.5-cm incision using a three-port approach. She was discharged on postoperative day one. The interdisciplinary planning and cooperation in this case avoided thoracotomy or sternotomy and allowed for a safe and complete minimally invasive resection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106-5011, USA. dr_c_schroeder@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rothermel
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gilkeson
authors.forename: Alan H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Markowitz
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schröder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D013724:Teratoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden
keywords: Anaesthesia (‘awake’ intubation); Cardiopulmonary bypass; Mediastinal tumour (teratoma); Thoracoscopy/video-assisted thoracoscopy