Current Thoracic Surgery
2024 , Vol 9 , Issue 1
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for a giant mediastinal teratoma in a pediatric patient
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ankara Atatürk Sanatorium Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey2Department of Pathology, Ankara Atatürk Sanatorium Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
3Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Unit, Afyonkarahisar University of Health Sciences, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey DOI : 10.26663/cts.2024.009 Viewed : 1348 - Downloaded : 461 Mediastinal teratomas are tumors originating from the primitive germ streak. The primary treatment for these tumors is surgery, traditionally performed through thoracotomy or sternotomy. Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) procedures have been increasingly employed in adult patients. However, the utilization of the VATS approach in pediatric patients remains limited worldwide. Furthermore, the presence of teratomas in the anterior mediastinum poses a challenge for VATS surgery in pediatric patients, as it involves delicate anatomical structures such as the heart, vena cava, and aorta. Here we present the case of a symptomatic pediatric patient weighing 35 kilograms who presented with respiratory distress. The patient had a mass measuring 7.5 cm in diameter with indistinct borders with the pericardium. The patient underwent a successful complete surgery using the VATS technique. VATS is a reliable surgical approach for mediastinal teratoma surgery in pediatric patients, provided the surgeon has adequate experience. Keywords : mediastinal teratoma, mature teratoma, pediatric surgery, teratoma, video-assisted thoracic surgery