Surgical resection of a giant thymolipoma causing respiratory failure: A case report

Figure 1 High-resolution chest contrast-enhanced computed tomography. A: Mediastinal window; B: Lung window. A large fat-containing mass in the anterior mediastinum occupied almost the entire right thoracic cavity and part of the left thoracic cavity with a clear boundary, resulting in lung collapse and mediastinal shift.

Figure 2 Three-dimensional reconstruction of the chest based on computed tomography images. A: The anterior mediastinal mass is visible; B: The anterior mediastinal mass is hidden. The volume of the mass as calculated by the three-dimensional reconstruction was 7052 mL.

Figure 3 Histopathological results. A: Histopathological results of computed tomography-guided percutaneous thoracic mass biopsy. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained section showing islands of thymic tissue within mature adipose tissue. Original magnification 40 ×; B: Postoperative histopathological results of the anterior mediastinal mass. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained section showing mature adipose tissue intermixed with septa of atrophic thymus tissue containing lymphocytes and Hassall’s corpuscles. Original magnification 40 ×.

Figure 4 Intraoperative photographs. A: The tumor was placed in two large containers after piecemeal resection, and the resected tumor weighed 7.5 kg; B: The right thoracic cavity after tumor resection.

Figure 5 Chest X-ray findings. The mediastinum had returned to its normal position, the left lung was almost fully inflated, and the right lung was relatively small.