Abstract
Abstract
Background
Mediastinal teratoma is an uncommon disease, nevertheless they represent the most common mediastinal germ cell tumours. It may grow silently for several years and remain undiagnosed until the occurrence of a complication.
Aim
The main aim of this article is to illustrate the silent evolution of an anterior mediastinal teratoma for over 70 years without presenting any notable complications.
Case presentation:
We present the case of a 70-year-old female, treated for hypertension with ACE inhibitors and thiazides, referred to our department for managing a voluminous mediastinal mass, discovered fortuitously by a general practitioner in a chest X-ray. The anamnesis didn’t relate any chest pain, cough, dyspnea nor hemoptysis. The clinical examination, in particular pleuropulmonary, was unremarkable. The workup (Chest X-Ray and CT scan) demonstrated a voluminous pleural mass at the expense of the right mediastinal pleura, rounded in shape, with calcified wall and fluid content. Blood tests did not demonstrate eosinophilia, and antihydatid IgG serology was negative. serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels were found to be normal. The patient subsequently underwent a right posterolateral thoracotomy with resection of the lesion. The mass was dissected very carefully and then resected in toto. The macroscopic and microscopic histological examination demonstrated a mature cystic teratoma. Surgical resection was an adequate treatment and the prognosis was excellent for the patient.
Conclusion
Cystic mature teratomas are rare thoracic tumours, often recognised by radiological examination.This article relates the asymptomatic evolution that a teratoma could have, remaining silent until an accidental radiological discovery.
Publisher
Research Square Platform LLC
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