Current Thoracic Surgery

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare neoplasm originating from vascular endothelial cells, which can arise in varied tissue sites. We describe a case of EHE presented with submammary mass of the left chest wall in a 25-year-old male, and his chest CT scan revealed a hematoma. The patient underwent a resection of the mass and the pathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. Five months later, He developed a firm nodule at his surgical scar. He had a second surgery consisting of excision of the local recurrence and partial resection of the sixth rib, including the intercostal space of the chest wall. To cover the remaining defect, we used polypropylene mesh, with muscle advancement and primary skin closure. The patient subsequently received radiotherapy and remains under active surveillance. This case highlights the challenges of preoperative diagnosis and that EHE should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chest wall masses.