A 30-year-old, asymptomatic female presented to our hospital for a physical examination. The patient had a history of diabetes mellitus and no history of cigarette smoking, hepatitis, tuberculosis, hypertensive disease, or coronary disease. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for the publication of the present study. Enhanced CT (Philips, Brilliance ICT CP 200063) of the chest revealed an anterior mediastinal oval tumor 2.3 × 1.7 × 1.3 cm in size with border regularity and without necrosis and calcification (Fig. ). A preoperative diagnosis of thymoma was considered due to the enhanced CT features. Routine blood, coagulation function, liver function, serum electrolyte, and electrocardiogram results were all within normal limits (Table ). For the purpose of providing a definitive diagnosis and treatment for an anterior mediastinal tumor such as thymoma, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed under general anesthesia. Histopathological examinations using hematoxylin and eosin staining (Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China) revealed that the tumor exhibited the typical histological findings of a cavernous hemangioma, as it was comprised of a proliferation of sized vessels (Fig. ). The patient presented with chylothorax on the second postoperative day and was discharged on the 13th postoperative day. One-year post surgery, the patient was alive with no evidence of tumor recurrence.
A 58 years-old man presented at our emergency room with fever, cough and left thoracic pain. His past medical history was unremarkable. Blood test showed WBC and C-reactive protein elevation. He had started antibiotics therapy and, given the persistence of symptoms, CT scan was performed showing lower left pneumonia. Incidentally, a 2.5 cm mass was found in the upper anterior mediastinum, with positive contrast enhancement and a 5 mm vessel arising from left brachio-cephalic vein (, ). Because of size and position fine needle aspiration nor anterior mediastinotomy were performed. Radiologic features were consistent with thymoma that usually appears as an ovoid or lobulated, smooth, well-marginated mass, projecting over the mediastinum typically protruding unilaterally, therefore patient underwent (1) neurologic evaluation that excluded myasthenia (2) PET/CT scan that showed the absence of any pathological uptake. However, thymoma was felt to remain a diagnostic possibility and patient was referred for radical surgery, with particular attention to abnormal vascularization. He underwent left thoracoscopy and, in spite of extreme attention, during pleural dissection between mediastinum and sternum, a sudden massive bleeding occurred (about 1,500 cc) requiring emergency conversion to median sternotomy. It was then clear that the bleeding came from tumor and not from brachiocephalic vein or its branches, as initially thought. After controlling the bleeding, we removed the mass but it was necessary to sacrifice the left laryngeal nerve.\nIntra-operative emergency required significant blood transfusions and precautionary transfer in intensive care for 24 h. The patient eventually made a complete recovery. We only recorded transitory dysphonia as in case of laryngeal nerve paralysis. At specimen analysis, the cut surface seemed to have some fresh blood and the soft tissue was taupe with multifocal thrombosis in various stages of organization up to phlebolithes. Histopathologically, it was diagnosed a residual thymic tissue surrounded by lipomatous hyperplasia with venous malformation consisting essentially of a large number of dilated vessels with a single layer of endothelial cells with no signs of atypia or mitosis. Most of the channels contained red blood cells in the cavity. Margins were free. Definitive histology was a 7 cm fatty specimen enclosing a 2.5 cm in size mass diagnostic for residual thymus associated with venous vascular malformation (ISSVA classification, 2008).