Case report
Ectopic Pancreatic Tissue in the Thoracic Cavity: Report of Two Cases

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2010.05.059Get rights and content

Ectopic pancreas in the thoracic cavity is uncommon. We report 2 patients who had large cystic or cystic-solid masses containing pancreatic tissue in the thorax. Their clinical presentation, imaging, and pathologic findings are described. Both patients underwent total surgical resection of the masses, with no recurrence.

Section snippets

Patient 1

A 51-year-old man presented to our hospital with a 2-month history of stabbing right chest pain, nonproductive cough, and mild dyspnea on exertion. The patient had no fever, hemoptysis, nor any gastrointestinal symptoms. The results of laboratory studies were unremarkable. Chest roentgenogram showed a wide mediastinum and mild right pleural effusion. An initial thoracentesis showed clear fluid, transudative in nature, with resolution of his shortness of breath and decrease of his chest pain.

Comment

Ectopic localization of the pancreas, which is found mostly in the gastrointestinal tract, is not uncommon [3]. However, it is very rare for the pancreas tissue to locate in the thoracic cavity and is generally seen as a component of gastroenteric duplication cyst, intralobar pulmonary sequestration, or mature teratomas [1]. Our cases were not a component of a mediastinal teratoma, because no tissue from any other part of the alimentary tract or from any other organ was found in the specimens.

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