Surgical procedure
The surgery by left posterolateral thoracotomy noted a dense adhesion
between the masse and the chest walls, pericardium and left lung. The
left lower lung lobe was completely deflated and incarcerated by the
masse with islands of epithelial tissue, hair and calcified tissue.
Anatomopathological findings led to the diagnosis of a mediastinal
mature cystic teratoma. The patient was then transferred to the
intensive care unit for three days and required a prolonged stay in the
wards due to the collapsed left lung. She benefited with a flexible
bronchoscopy twice with an insertion in situ of a chest tube for
drainage. The chest tube was finally removed 15 days later after few
trials of chest tube clamping followed by chest x-ray.