Skip to main content
Top
Published in: General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 9/2012

01-09-2012 | Case Report

Primary intrapulmonary thymoma associated with myasthenia gravis

Authors: Meral Günaldi, I. Oguz Kara, Berna Bozkurt Duman, Derya Gumurdulu

Published in: General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery | Issue 9/2012

Login to get access

Abstract

Primary intrapulmonary thymomas are very rare. So far, research in the field has identified only 31 cases. In all databases, a total of two published articles describing primary intrapulmonary thymoma with myasthenia gravis were encountered between 1950 and 2010. We admitted a 58-year-old male patient with a mass in the right lower lobe of his lung. The tumor was excised, and histological findings were found to be consistent with Type AB thymoma. The patient was intubated due to respiratory distress during the postoperative period, and his acetylcholine receptor antibody was determined positive. He was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. Pyridostigmine therapy and plasmapheresis were scheduled; yet, we could not begin therapy because of rapid deterioration of the patient’s respiratory status due to myasthenia gravis and subsequently resulting in intubation-associated pneumonia. The patient’s health rapidly worsened, and he died.
Literature
1.
go back to reference Bothra R, Dahiya SL, Treisman E, Goodman P. Cervical thymoma. Int Surg. 1975;60:301–2.PubMed Bothra R, Dahiya SL, Treisman E, Goodman P. Cervical thymoma. Int Surg. 1975;60:301–2.PubMed
2.
go back to reference Ishibashi H, Takahashi S, Tomoko H, Shibuya J, Suzuki S, Handa M. Primary intrapulmonary thymoma successfully resected with vascular reconstruction. Ann Thorac Surg. 2003;76:1735–7.PubMedCrossRef Ishibashi H, Takahashi S, Tomoko H, Shibuya J, Suzuki S, Handa M. Primary intrapulmonary thymoma successfully resected with vascular reconstruction. Ann Thorac Surg. 2003;76:1735–7.PubMedCrossRef
3.
go back to reference Gong L, Li YH, He XL, Wang Q, Yao L, Zhu SJ, et al. Primary intrapulmonary thymomas: case report and review of the literature. J Int Med Res. 2009;37(4):1252–7.PubMed Gong L, Li YH, He XL, Wang Q, Yao L, Zhu SJ, et al. Primary intrapulmonary thymomas: case report and review of the literature. J Int Med Res. 2009;37(4):1252–7.PubMed
4.
go back to reference Srivastava A, Padilla O, Alroy J, Ucci A, Pilichowska M, Daley B, et al. Primary intrapulmonary spindle cell thymoma with marked granulomatous reaction: report of a case with review of literature. Int J Surg Pathol. 2003;11:353–6.PubMedCrossRef Srivastava A, Padilla O, Alroy J, Ucci A, Pilichowska M, Daley B, et al. Primary intrapulmonary spindle cell thymoma with marked granulomatous reaction: report of a case with review of literature. Int J Surg Pathol. 2003;11:353–6.PubMedCrossRef
5.
go back to reference Moran CA, Suster S, Fishback NF, Koss MN. Primary intrapulmonary thymoma. A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of eight cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 1995;19:304–12.PubMedCrossRef Moran CA, Suster S, Fishback NF, Koss MN. Primary intrapulmonary thymoma. A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of eight cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 1995;19:304–12.PubMedCrossRef
6.
go back to reference Stefani A, Boulenger E, Mehaut S, Ciupea A, Alifano M. Primary intrapulmonary thymoma associated with congenital hyperhomocysteinemia. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2007;134:799–801.PubMedCrossRef Stefani A, Boulenger E, Mehaut S, Ciupea A, Alifano M. Primary intrapulmonary thymoma associated with congenital hyperhomocysteinemia. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2007;134:799–801.PubMedCrossRef
7.
go back to reference Song Z, Xu X, Li S, Wei S, Chen J, Zhou Q. Synchronous primary intrapulmonary and mediastinal thymoma—a case report. J Cardiothorac Surg. 2010;28(5):69.CrossRef Song Z, Xu X, Li S, Wei S, Chen J, Zhou Q. Synchronous primary intrapulmonary and mediastinal thymoma—a case report. J Cardiothorac Surg. 2010;28(5):69.CrossRef
8.
go back to reference Travis WD, Brambilla E, Müller-Hermelink H-K: Tumours of the thymus. In: Pathology and genetics of tumours of the lung, pleura, thymus and heart. IARC WHO Classification of Tumours, vol 10; 2004. pp. 167–294. Travis WD, Brambilla E, Müller-Hermelink H-K: Tumours of the thymus. In: Pathology and genetics of tumours of the lung, pleura, thymus and heart. IARC WHO Classification of Tumours, vol 10; 2004. pp. 167–294.
9.
go back to reference Kırıs I, Karahan N, Peker O, Yavuz T, Ibrısım E. A case of spindle cell primary intrapulmonary thymoma: a rare histologic subtype. Turkish J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2005;13(4):412–5. Kırıs I, Karahan N, Peker O, Yavuz T, Ibrısım E. A case of spindle cell primary intrapulmonary thymoma: a rare histologic subtype. Turkish J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2005;13(4):412–5.
10.
go back to reference Caramori G, Calia N, Pasquini C, Arar O, Ravenna F, Guzzinati I, et al. Ectopic thymoma simulating a pericardial cyst. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis. 2005;63(4):230–3.PubMed Caramori G, Calia N, Pasquini C, Arar O, Ravenna F, Guzzinati I, et al. Ectopic thymoma simulating a pericardial cyst. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis. 2005;63(4):230–3.PubMed
11.
go back to reference Masaoka A, Monden Y, Nakahara K, Tanioka T. Follow-up study of thymomas with special reference to their clinical stages. Cancer. 1981;48(11):2485–92.PubMedCrossRef Masaoka A, Monden Y, Nakahara K, Tanioka T. Follow-up study of thymomas with special reference to their clinical stages. Cancer. 1981;48(11):2485–92.PubMedCrossRef
12.
go back to reference Myers PO, Kritikos N, Bongiovanni M, Triponez F, Collaud S, Pache JC, et al. Primary intrapulmonary thymoma: a systematic review. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2007;33(10):1137–41 [Epub 2007 Apr 17]. Myers PO, Kritikos N, Bongiovanni M, Triponez F, Collaud S, Pache JC, et al. Primary intrapulmonary thymoma: a systematic review. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2007;33(10):1137–41 [Epub 2007 Apr 17].
13.
go back to reference Skoutelis K, Nikolopoulos DD, Markopoulos K, Chabipi K, Sutoungioti S, Papastamatiou M. Ectopic thymoma of the lung; a rare case report and review of the literature. Cases J. 2009;2:9149.PubMedCrossRef Skoutelis K, Nikolopoulos DD, Markopoulos K, Chabipi K, Sutoungioti S, Papastamatiou M. Ectopic thymoma of the lung; a rare case report and review of the literature. Cases J. 2009;2:9149.PubMedCrossRef
14.
go back to reference McBurney RP, Clagett OT, McDonald JR. Primary intrapulmonary neoplasm (thymoma?) associated with myasthenia gravis: report of case. Mayo Clin Proc. 1951;26:345–53. McBurney RP, Clagett OT, McDonald JR. Primary intrapulmonary neoplasm (thymoma?) associated with myasthenia gravis: report of case. Mayo Clin Proc. 1951;26:345–53.
15.
go back to reference Derow HA, Schlesinger MJ, Persky L. Myasthenia gravis: a clinical and pathological study of a case associated with a primary mediastinal thymoma and a solitary secondary intrapulmonary thymoma. N Engl J Med. 1950; 28;243(13):478–82. Derow HA, Schlesinger MJ, Persky L. Myasthenia gravis: a clinical and pathological study of a case associated with a primary mediastinal thymoma and a solitary secondary intrapulmonary thymoma. N Engl J Med. 1950; 28;243(13):478–82.
Metadata
Title
Primary intrapulmonary thymoma associated with myasthenia gravis
Authors
Meral Günaldi
I. Oguz Kara
Berna Bozkurt Duman
Derya Gumurdulu
Publication date
01-09-2012
Publisher
Springer Japan
Published in
General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery / Issue 9/2012
Print ISSN: 1863-6705
Electronic ISSN: 1863-6713
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-012-0064-9

Other articles of this Issue 9/2012

General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 9/2012 Go to the issue

Current Topics Review Article

Early central airways lung cancer