Anterior mini-thoracotomy approach as minimal access surgery for thymoma: a case report
Main Article Content
Keywords
Anterior mini-thoracotomy, surgery, thymoma
Abstract
Background: Thymomas, which account for about half of all mediastinal tumours, are the most common primary neoplasms in the anterior mediastinum. Since surgical excision provides the best chance of long-term survival, it continues to be the cornerstone of thymoma treatment. The anterior mini-thoracotomy approach is another minimally invasive option for thymoma resection that combines the benefits of a smaller incision with good surgical exposure. Therefore, this case report aims to describe a patient case with an anterior mini-thoracotomy approach as minimal access surgery for thymoma.
Case Presentation: A 38-year-old female presented to the Thoracic Surgery Clinic with complaints of chest pain radiating to the back and chronic cough. Chest radiography revealed mediastinal enlargement. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the thorax showed a mass in the left anterior mediastinum. The patient underwent resection of the mediastinal tumor through a left anterior mini-thoracotomy approach with a 5 cm incision. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit for 1 day after drain removal and discharged on postoperative day 3. Pathological examination revealed a type AB thymoma. The final diagnosis was Masaoka Stage IIa with complete resection. Patient discharge with good chest X-Ray after surgery and subsequently underwent adjuvant radiotherapy.
Conclusion: The anterior mini-thoracotomy approach is a minimally invasive surgical option that can be applied for the management of thymoma, with good postoperative recovery outcomes. This technique may represent a promising alternative for patients with thymoma who meet the appropriate criteria.
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