• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.211-214
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• 1999

We experienced a case of thymolipoma that is a rare benign mediastinal tumor, composed of normal thymic tissue and matured adipose tissue. A 46-years-old woman was admitted to the department of medicine due to lower abdominal pain. Simple chest PA showed a large mass shadow at right cardiac border. Chest CT scanning showed well defined large fatty mass at right cardiac border which was suggested thymolipoma. The mass was resected and confirmed as thymolipoma histopathologically.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.735-739
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• 1984

Thymolipoma is a rare benign tumor consisting of fat and thymic tissue. Approximately 60 case reports have been published. On 1984, one patient with proven mediastinal thymolipoma was treated surgically at the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular surgery, Seoul National University Hospital. The following case is the first reported example of thymolipoma occurring in Korea.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.39-42
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• 2004

Thymolipoma is a rare benign mediastinal tumor, composed of mature fatty and thymic tissues. A 9-year-old boy was referred with a one-month history of neck swelling. Preoperative computed tomography scan and fine needle aspiration biopsy suggested thymolipoma. Despite it being rare, thymolipoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal tumors. Characteristics of its clinical feature and radiological findings that can differentiated it from other mediastinal tumors are discussed with a review of the literatures.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.103-108
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• 2004

Thymolipoma is rare benign tumor of the thymic gland and mostly occurs at anterior mediastinum. Thymolipoma comprises 2~9% of thymic tumor and less than 1% of mediastinal mass. Therefore, thymolipoma should be differentiated from anterior mediastinal tumor such as thymoma, germ cell tumor and lymphoma. These tumors resemble cardiomegaly, pleural effusion, basal atelectasis, pericardial tumor and cyst, pleural tumor, lung cancer and pulmonary sequestration, and differentiated from above mentioned diseases. Though most cases are asymptomatic, there can be dyspnea with compression of adjacent organ by mass effect, and myasthenia gravis. We experienced a thymolipoma simulating cardiomegaly and report the case with the review of literatures.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.561-565
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• 1990

We experienced thymolipoma which is a rare benign mediastinal tumor, an admixture of atrophic thymic tissue and matured adipose tissue. The patient was, 13 years old boy, admitted due to anterior mediastinal mass on routine chest X-ray and complained of mild exertional dyspnea. The physical examination revealed percussion dullness, decreased breathing sound at right anterior hemithorax. The chest PA and lateral views showed both paracardiac mass density and obliteration of retrosternal clear space. The chest CT Scan showed tubular structure containing of thymic tissue and enhanced fatty tissue, suggested thymolipoma. Operation was performed under the impression of thymolipoma. Through median sternotomy, the huge mass was resected. Grossly, the mass was yellowish fatty colored, measured 15X12X10cm, weighed 600gm. Light microscopic examination showed that thymic tissue containing of Hassal`s corpuscles were surrounded by matured adipose tissue, as the characteristic finding of thymolipoma. The postoperative course was uneventful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.135-139
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• 1981

Thymolipoma is extremely uncommon benign mediastinal tumor consisting of fatty and thymic tissue. Only 50 verified cases have been reported in the world literatures. This one case is the first reported example of surgically treated thymolipoma associated with spontaneous pneumothorax. A thirty-two year old male patient had been in good health until two days prior to admission, when he noted sudden dyspnea associated with an aching pain over the left precordium. The dyspnea and chest pain had become progressively worse. The physical examination revealed that left hemithorax was tympanic sound on percussion and absence of breathing sound on auscultation and point of maximal impulse was located on the 4th intercostal space at the left sternal border. Emergency closed thoracostomy was performed under the impression of tension type spontaneous pneumothorax of the left lung. After closed thoracostomy, point of maximal impulse was not changed inspire of full expansion of the left lung and chest X-ray was strongly suggested pericardial effusion or cardiomegaly which couldn`t account for by clinical course and hemodynamic evidence. EKG, echocardiogram, bronchofiberoscophy, bronchogram and diagnostic thoracentesis was performed. On Dec. 8, 1980, operation was performed under the impression of mediastinal tumor in the anterior mediastinum. At left posterolateral thoractomy, a large fatty mass, measuring 35 x 27 x 13 Cm in dimension and weighing 3350 gm, was resected and multiple bullae on the apicoposterior segment of the left upper lobe was resected and continuously sutured. The pathologic diagnosis of the fatty mass was thymolipoma. The postoperative course was uneventful and discharged in good general conditions.