Progressive dyspnea in patient with large mediastinal mass

J Cardiothorac Surg. 2014 Jan 6:9:6. doi: 10.1186/1749-8090-9-6.

Abstract

Liposarcoma occurs very rarely in the mediastinum. Patients often remain asymptomatic until it grows large enough to cause direct invasion or compression of adjacent organs. We report a case of a 77-year-old male presented with dyspnea of exertion and was found to have a large mediastinal mass which was eventually diagnosed as primary mediastinal well-differentiated liposarcoma. The limited respiratory function at the initial presentation prompted phrenic nerve preserving incomplete resection rather than radical removal of the adjacent mediastinal structures. After surgical removal, the recurrence for well-differentiated mediastinal liposarcomas in the mediastinum is unknown; therefore, close follow-up is crucial.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Disease Progression
  • Dyspnea / diagnosis
  • Dyspnea / etiology*
  • Dyspnea / surgery
  • Humans
  • Liposarcoma / complications*
  • Liposarcoma / diagnosis
  • Liposarcoma / surgery
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / complications*
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sternotomy / methods
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed