Abstract
An extremely rare case of nontraumatic mediastinal abscess due to candida is described.
A 73-year-old woman presented with high-degree of fever and chest pain on 19th day after pancreatoduodenectomy for an advanced gastric cancer. A simple chest X-ray film revealed a remarkably enlarged mediastinal shadow and malposition of an central intravenous caterer toward the left brachiocephalic vein. Chest CT demonstrated a solitary tumor-like lesion in the anterior mediastinum. From CT values a mediastinal abscess was suspected, and ultrasonogrophy-guided drainage was performed. A small quantity of white pus was aspirated, and the diagnosis of mediastinal abscess was made. Candida was detected in the cultivation of the pus and blood. With the drainage and administration of antimycotic agents the abscess disappeared.
As a possible cause of this disease, a leakage of hypertonic solution into the mediastinal adipose tissues from the intravenous caterer can be considered.
