Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2015 | Case report
Pancreatic mediastinal pseudocyst presenting as a posterior mediastinal mass with recurrent pleural effusions: a case report and review of the literature
Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports | Issue 1/2015
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Introduction
A rare complication of chronic pancreatitis is the formation of single or multiple mediastinal pseudocysts, which are fueled from the pancreas through anatomical openings of the diaphragm. We present a rare case with a difficult diagnosis, treatment and potentially catastrophic complications.
Case presentation
A 53-year-old Caucasian man was referred to our hospital for further investigation and treatment of a large heterogeneous mass situated in the posterior mediastinum, and bilateral pleural effusions which had developed after recent multiple episodes of pancreatitis. He had a history of chronic alcoholism. Laboratory and imaging modalities established the diagnosis of a pancreatic mediastinal pseudocyst.
Conclusions
Despite successful initial conservative treatment, our patient had a relapse and underwent emergency surgical intervention due to internal hemorrhage. We present his diagnostic and imaging workup, along with the multidisciplinary intervention, and a literature review referring to the diagnosis and treatment of mediastinal pancreatic pseudocysts.