Anterior Mediastinal Mass

The anterior mediastinum is located behind the sternum and is bordered by the pericardium, diaphragm, and mediastinal pleural. It houses the thymus, parts of the retrosternal thyroid, and various lymph nodes. While masses in the anterior mediastinum are frequently asymptomatic at presentation, many complications may arise as they grow and compress adjacent structures such as the heart, esophagus, trachea and associated neurovascular structures. Some associated symptoms include cough, hoarseness, fever, chills, and chest pain. Compression of critical structures such as the heart, major vessels, and trachea results in a unique state of hemodynamic equilibrium that must be taken into account when performing anesthesia and surgery. The differential diagnosis for anterior mediastinal masses (AMM) includes a wide variety of both benign and malignant disease processes including thymoma, teratoma, thyroid neoplasm, and lymphoma. In this report we offer a brief overview of the different diagnoses and management of AMM and present a case of a 55 year old female with a previously undiagnosed AMM and the follow up treatment plan.