Giant thymoma in the anterior-inferior mediastinum

a Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany b Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany *Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 451 500 6071; fax: +49 451 500 5116. E-mail address : stefan.limmer{at}uk-sh.de (S. Limmer). Thymomas are usually found in the superior mediastinum and sternotomy is the standard approach for resection. We report a case of a male patient with a giant left-sided thymoma, nearly fulfilling the whole hemithorax. Due to the sheer size of the tumor and its location in the anterior-inferior mediastinum, we performed a lateral approach for thymectomy. On resection the specimen measured 18 x 16 x 12 cm. Histology revealed a mixed stage I thymoma. The patient is doing well 36 months after resection and has no signs of recurrence. In literature, a significant increase in the risk of recurrence for thymomas >8 cm is reported. Key Words: Thymoma; Mediastinal mass; Anterior-inferior mediastinum