[Cystic tumor of the mediastinum of digestive origin. Apropos of a new case. Diagnostic and pathogenic hypotheses]

Ann Chir. 1992;46(8):774-7.
[Article in French]

Abstract

An incidental discovery of a posterior and inferior mediastinal cyst-like opacity allowed us to diagnose a pulmonary sequestration in a 45-year old woman. The operative findings showed an hour-glass tumor of the inferior mediastinum with an abdominal prolongation attached by a stalk onto the top of the stomach. These findings made us change our diagnosis in favour of an abdomino-thoracic gastric duplication. This new hypothesis was not confirmed by the results of the pathological report which revealed two kinds of tissue; intestinal in the abdomen and broncho-pulmonary in the chest. Two diagnoses where then proposed: complex hamartoma or mediastinal bronchogenic cyst. The pathogenic interpretation in such cases is still very controversial. English authors are prone to classify them as broncho-pulmonary foregut malformations. Macroscopic and microscopic data of the specimen led us to consider our case-report to be a foregut malformation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Angiography
  • Bronchopulmonary Sequestration
  • Female
  • Hamartoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Hamartoma / etiology
  • Hamartoma / surgery
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / etiology
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Stomach / abnormalities