Total occlusion of the superior vena cava due to bronchogenic cyst

Hydropneumothorax: A Presentation of Infected Bronchogenic Cyst

Bronchogenic cysts are closed sac-like cystic lesions resulting from abnormal budding of the primitive foregut during the early development of the alimentary and respiratory systems. We describe the case of a 54-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with complaints of fever, chills, shortness of breath, and a productive cough with intermittent hemoptysis for the past two to three months. Initial workup revealed a right lung hydropneumothorax with complete atelectasis of the right lung and a mass effect on the left lung. During intercostal drainage, pleural fluid analysis revealed empyema with E. coli treated with antibiotics. However, the symptoms persisted after five days of antibiotic treatment and drainage. A multidisciplinary team of thoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists, and pulmonologists was assembled due to the non-resolving nature of the lung abscess. The patient underwent a right middle lobe lobectomy with decortication via open thoracotomy, and a bronchogenic cyst, an uncommon cause of the lung abscess, was suggested by histopathological analysis.

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery of Mediastinal Cysts: Report of 13 Cases

Mediastinal cysts are rare anomalies. The purposes of this study were to present our experience with mediastinal cysts, which were thoracoscopically treated in our clinic, and to discuss our findings along with those from the literature. We retrospectively investigated 13 patients who were diagnosed and thoracoscopically treated for mediastinal cysts in our clinic between January 2008 and December 2011. Seven patients were female and six were male. The average age of the patients was 41.3 ± 20.3 (7-82 years old). The mediastinal cysts comprised five pericardial cysts: four bronchogenic cysts, one hydatid cyst, one benign cystic teratoma, one thymic cyst, and one neurenteric cyst. In the case of a ruptured hydatid cyst, we passed it to thoracotomy intra-operatively due to the presence of advanced adhesion related to inflammation. Postoperative complications and mortality did not occur in any case. The average postoperative hospitalisation period was 3.8 days (2-7 days). Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in mediastinal cysts is a reliable and effective approach with low morbidity and a shorter hospital stay.

[Congenital lung malformations--when to operate?]

Advances in antenatal imaging over the past 10 years have completely changed diagnosis and management of congenital lung disease, especially for congenital cystic adenomatoid malformations and sequestrations that are the two lesions most commonly detected. If early surgical excision is required for symptomatic cases, management of asymptomatic malformations is still discussed. The natural evolution and consequences of later complications of congenital lung malformations need to be compared with the benefits of elective resection and surgical morbidity. Complete regression of sequestrations or clinical and morphological improvement in congenital lobar emphysema pleads for clinical watching. On the other hand, resection is advocated for cystic malformations, because of an increased risk of acute respiratory distress, later infections and the possibility of malignant transformation. Even though the proportion of asymptomatic patients that go on to develop symptoms is hard to evaluate, an argument for elective surgery is a better outcome than emergency surgery. Further studies and long term follow-up are still needed to understand the natural history of congenital lung malformations precisely and help to define the optimal way in which to manage them.