Mediastinum Teratoma Rupture: A Rare Manifestation

We present the case of a 22-year-old man who presented with cough, haemoptysis and fever of 3 days’ duration. A teratoma had been diagnosed 2 years previously. Physical examination was unremarkable but laboratory tests showed anaemia, neutrophilic leucocytosis and an increase in C-reactive protein....

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: João Tavares, Bernardo Baptista, Bebiana Gonçalves, Pedro Raimundo, Henrique Vaz Velho, Alexandra Bayão Horta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SMC MEDIA SRL 2019-01-01
Series:European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.ejcrim.com/index.php/EJCRIM/article/view/1022
Description
Summary:We present the case of a 22-year-old man who presented with cough, haemoptysis and fever of 3 days’ duration. A teratoma had been diagnosed 2 years previously. Physical examination was unremarkable but laboratory tests showed anaemia, neutrophilic leucocytosis and an increase in C-reactive protein. Chest CT revealed a teratoma of the anterior mediastinum with post-obstructive pneumonitis suggestive of tumour rupture. Antibiotic treatment resulted in a good clinical outcome. The patient was submitted to a left upper lobectomy and pathological examination revealed a mature teratoma. Teratomas are germ cell tumours that are usually asymptomatic and their rupture is a rare event.
ISSN:2284-2594