title: Metastatic Ocular Melanoma Presenting as a Heart-Compressing Mediastinal Mass.
abstract: Ocular malignant melanoma is characterized by an unpredictable course, and metastases may develop, after a long disease-free interval, anywhere in the body. The mediastinum, however, is a rare site of these metastases, and metastatic melanoma presenting as a large mediastinal mass is quite unusual. We report herein a peculiar case of a solitary, late metastasis of malignant ocular melanoma, manifesting as a sizable posterior mediastinal mass and presenting with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Transthoracic echocardiography, computed tomography scan findings, and surgical treatment and pathologic examination are described.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. Electronic address: dr.kiparakis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiparakis
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lazopoulos
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koutsopoulos
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gavalaki
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kampitakis
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chalkiadakis
mesh_terms: D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology*; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged