A case of anterior mediastinal hemangioma resected through a thoracoscope

Abstract

A 73-year-old-man was referred to our hospital due to an anterior mediastinal mass detected on CT examination. Chest CT showed a heterogeneously enhanced mass measuring 3 cm in diameter on the left side of the anterior mediastinum. The mass did not show a marked change in size on follow-up CT, and we suspected a thymoma with cystic change. Thoracoscopic surgery was performed through the left pleural cavity, and the left lobe of the thymus was resected along with the mass, which was dark-red and elastic-soft. The tumor was diagnosed as a capillary hemangioma histopathologically. Mediastinal hemangioma is rare, but, by carefully considering the indications and devising an appropriate position and approach, we were able to diagnose this case as a mediastinal hemangioma and safely treat the lesion by employing thoracoscopic surgery.