A CASE OF INTRATHORACIC CHRONIC EXPANDING HEMATOMA AFTER OPEN HEART SURGERY

Abstract

This paper describes a case of intrathoracic chronic expanding hematoma which was detected 23 years after open heart surgery. A 38-year-old woman was pointed out having an abnormal shadow on a plain chest X-ray film, which was taken as preoperative screening for an ovarian cyst. A tumor shadow 14cm in diameter was found in the left lower lung field on the chest X-ray film. The tumor was positioned just above the diaphragm and posterioly to the heart, and was heterogenous in content with calcification on chest CT and MRI. Its margin was smooth.
Preoperative examinations confirmed as a mediastinal tumor and operation was performed. The tumor directly invaded the pericardium and the intrapericardial adhesion was severe. Intraoperative frozen section diagnosis turned out no malignancy. Tumor was resected totally as much as possible. Postoperative pathological diangosis was hematoma covered with fibrous capsule. We concluded this case as a chronic expanding hematoma caused by open heart surgery.