Resection of a giant thoracic solitary fibrous tumor through two … – The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) of the pleura is an uncommon intrathoracic neoplasm. A middle-aged woman had progressive exertional dyspnea for 6 months, and eventually respiratory failure developed which necessitated ventilatory support. After examination, a giant tumor was found to occupy the whole left pleural cavity with chest wall distention and severe mediastinal shift to the right side. We completely resected this giant tumor by two separate thoracotomies. The pathologic examination revealed an SFT weighing 5.1 kg. Her respiratory condition improved markedly after the operation and she was discharged 23 days postoperatively.

Clinical Summary

A 51-year-old woman, a nonsmoker, was referred to our hospital with endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation owing to respiratory distress caused by a huge lesion occupying the left chest cavity. A large tumor had been discovered in the left side of the chest 3 years earlier during a physical examination, but she had ignored it because it was asymptomatic. Six months before admission, she had exertional dyspnea that she had treated with oxygen therapy without seeking medical intervention. Seventeen days before referral, the sudden onset of progressive dyspnea, drowsy consciousness, generalized edema, and eventually a faint occurred at home. She was sent to a district general hospital immediately, where emergency intubation was performed.