title: Collaborative treatment of huge intrathoracic meningoceles associated with neurofibromatosis type 1: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An intrathoracic meningocele is a relatively rare disease, and it commonly accompanies neurofibromatosis type 1. Patients tend to have no symptom but if its size is too large and compresses a lung and neighboring organs, it needs shunt drainage or surgical resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Herein, we present the case of a 52 year-old female patient with huge intrathoracic meningoceles associated with neurofibromatosis type 1, who has complained about chest discomfort and dyspnea at rest. As for a preliminary treatment, a neurosurgeon had performed a cystoperitoneal shunt, but the symptoms continued and the size of mass and the amount of pleural effusion did not change significantly. Therefore, the huge thoracic meningoceles were successfully treated through the thoracotomic approach in combination with lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid drainage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is reported that double huge intrathoracic meningoceles associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 was successfully treated by a shunting procedure followed by thoracotomic resection with collaboration of a neurosurgeon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 93 Jungbu-daero, Paldal-Gu, Suwon, Gyenggi-Do, 442-723, Republic of Korea. ebstein8@daum.net.
authors.forename: Deog Gon
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 93 Jungbu-daero, Paldal-Gu, Suwon, Gyenggi-Do, 442-723, Republic of Korea. tsmate@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Yong Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 93 Jungbu-daero, Paldal-Gu, Suwon, Gyenggi-Do, 442-723, Republic of Korea. kyudias@catholic.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kyu Do
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 93 Jungbu-daero, Paldal-Gu, Suwon, Gyenggi-Do, 442-723, Republic of Korea. jatagi15@paran.com.
authors.forename: Jae Taek
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008588:Meningocele / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae