title: Congenital Thymic Cyst in the Retro Cava Position: A Case Report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Congenital thymic cyst (CTC) is a rare mediastinal mass and the retrocaval position of this cyst has not been reported in the medical literature so far.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study reports on a 66-year-old female with coronary artery disease (CAD) who was scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at our hospital. During mediastinal exploration and pericardiotomy for CABG, a large CTC was incidentally found in the retrocaval position, as a watery cyst from its anatomic location and content. Pathological examination revealed that it was a CTC. No cases of retrocaval position of CTC have been reported. Thus, here we report on this case and review the previously reported cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first case of CTC that was identified incidentally in the retrocaval position and caused intermittent obstruction of vena cava.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Imam Ali Heart Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Freidoun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sabzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eizadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Imam Ali Heart Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Javid
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Imam Ali Heart Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faraji
keywords: Coronary Artery Disease; Cronary Artery Bypass; Cyst