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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Rep 2022; 11(01): e7-e10
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1726350
Case Report: Thoracic

Life-Threatening Mediastinal Teratoma of Infant Requiring Emergency Surgical Removal

Nicole Piber
1   Deutsches Herzzentrum München des Freistaates Bayern, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
,
Wilko Weichert
2   Technical University of Munich Institute of Pathology and Pathological Anatomy, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
,
Jürgen Hörer
1   Deutsches Herzzentrum München des Freistaates Bayern, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
,
Masamichi Ono
1   Deutsches Herzzentrum München des Freistaates Bayern, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
› Author Affiliations Funding This study was not funded by any grant.
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Abstract

Background Teratoma is a tumor derived from fetal germ cells with aberrant differentiation.

Case Description A 3-month-old infant with a mediastinal tumor was referred to our heart center. She presented with progressive dyspnea, cyanosis, and the need to be manually ventilated. The computed tomography scan displayed a huge tumor restricting the distal trachea including the bifurcation. An emergent operation was performed and the tumor was completely removed. Histological examination confirmed a mature teratoma.

Conclusion In such life-threatening situation, the early detection and the immediate operation are very important for the management of rapidly-progressing mediastinal teratomas compressing the respiratory tract.

Keywords

mediastinal tumor - teratoma - infant


Publication History

Received: 10 January 2021

Accepted: 28 January 2021

Article published online:
13 January 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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