Pericardial effusion presenting as an anterior mediastinal mass

The authors present a case of pericardial effusion in a patient with previous cardiac surgery. Because the pericardium is opened and not reclosed during surgery, fluid can extend superior to the normal upper reflections of the pericardium and simulate an anterior mediastinal mass.     

Esthesioneuroblastoma presenting as an orbital mass in a young child

A 3-year-old boy presented with uniocular proptosis and ophthalmoplegia. Investigation revealed a mass involving the right orbit with extension into the left orbit and paranasal sinuses, and intracranial extension involving both frontal lobes. Biopsy of an enlarged cervical node and the intranasal mass revealed esthesioneuroblastoma. This tumor has been reported rarely in a child this age, and only 12 case reports document patients under 10 years of age. The presentation as an orbital mass is previously unreported and must now be considered in the differential diagnosis of proptosis in childhood. The usual clinical, radiological, and pathological features of olfactory esthesioneuroblastoma are reviewed. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

儿童气管幼年性黄色肉芽肿1例报告并文献复习

目的 探讨儿童气管幼年性黄色肉芽肿的临床特征和治疗方法.方法 回顾分析1例气管幼年黄色肉芽肿患儿的临床资料并复习相关文献.结果 患儿,女,1岁10个月,以反复喘息为主要表现,常规抗感染、全身糖皮质激素及支气管舒张剂治疗效果不佳.电子支气管镜提示患儿声门下气管侧壁可见1个直径约0.8 cm的淡黄色肿物,表面光滑,阻塞气管...     

Hydatid disease presenting as an intrascrotal mass in a child.

A thirteen-year-old boy with the preliminary diagnosis of hydrocele of the cord who underwent surgery is presented. Ultimate diagnosis of hydatid disease was established by surgical exploration and histopathologic examination of the specimen. Although it is a rare occurrence, hydatid disease should be considered as a diagnostic possibility in endemic areas.     

Churg-Strauss syndrome presenting as an abdominal mass in a non-asthmatic child

A 2-year-old boy presented with an abdominal mass and was diagnosed as Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS). There was no history of asthma. He developed fatal gastro-intestinal disease, despite treatment with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide. CSS is extremely rare in young children and gastro-intestinal involvement might carry a worse prognosis than in adults.     

Granulocytic sarcoma presenting as an isolated mediastinal mass. A difficult diagnostic problem

An unusual case of granulocytic sarcoma presenting in an 8-year-old boy as an isolated mediastinal mass, preceding by 7 months the development of acute myeloid leukemia, is reported. The patient was initially treated for lymphoblastic lymphoma, with poor response. We recommend that in such cases, full histocytochemical and immunological characterization of the tumor should be performed.     

Acute appendicitis presenting as thigh abscess in a child: a case report

A case of retrocecal appendicitis is described in a 6-year-old male child who presented with thigh abscess. The presence of a positive psoas stretch test, feculent discharge, an enteric growth on bacteriological examination, and intraabdominal fluid collection on abdominal ultrasound provided clues to the presence of an intraabdominal source of sepsis. Laparotomy revealed a perforated retrocecal appendix with surrounding collection communicating into the thigh. Appendectomy with drainage of retroperitoneal and thigh collections under adequate antibiotic coverage resulted in a satisfactory recovery. We describe our experience with the present case and discuss the pertinent literature.     

Mild cystic fibrosis presenting as an asymptomatic distended appendiceal mass: A case report.

A case of cystic fibrosis presenting as a right lower quadrant mass in a five-year-old white female is presented. At laparotomy, a mucoid, impacted appendix was found which microscopically suggested the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis must be added to conditions presenting with abdominal masses.     

Ectopic thymus presenting as neck mass in a neonate: a case report

Neck masses are rare in newborns and can represent a big challenge for the paediatric surgeons. Different histological types are reported in the recent literature; while 80% of neck masses are benign, the pediatric surgeon is often called upon to assist in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment. A two-month old baby was evaluated for an asymptomatic left sided cervical mass, presented at birth, which slowly increased in size. A magnetic resonance imaging scan was performed, with evidence of capsulated solid neck mass, lateral to the sternocleidomastoid muscle, not including the major vassel structures of the neck. The patient underwent surgical excision in the criteria to define the histology of the mass. A well capsulated mass was detected at surgery. At histology, an ectopic cervical thymus tissue was reported. The ectopic cervical thymus is an uncommon entity with only 91 cases reported; only nine occurred in infants, two in the neonatal period. According to the authors, in case of enlarging solid neck mass with unclear imaging or clinical data, complete surgical resection is the only and safe procedure to perform.     

Perforated appendicitis and appendicolith in a child presenting as intussusception: a case report

Simultaneous diagnoses of intussusception and appendicitis in the same patient have rarely been described in the pediatric literature. A case of a 30-month-old boy is presented with an initial diagnosis of intussusception that was successfully reduced by air contrast enema. When the patient's condition deteriorated, a diagnostic search surprisingly revealed a missed perforated appendicitis with an appendicolith that had been part of the intussusception. The patient's hospitalization and surgical course is described along with a discussion of the intermingling of intussusception and appendicitis in a young child. This case illustrates the need to consider alternative diagnoses when a patient's course takes an unexpected and confusing turn.     

Vertebral osteomyelitis in an infant presenting with a posterior mediastinal mass

A rare case of vertebral osteomyelitis and paravertebral abscess that presented as a posterior mediastinal tumour with airway compression in a 7-week-old baby is presented. The differential diagnosis and the recommended treatment are discussed.     

A child with anterior mediastinal mass supported with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the utility of rescue with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and to demonstrate the feasibility of administration of chemotherapy during VA-ECMO in a child with an anterior mediastinal mass. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Large, tertiary care, pediatric intensive care unit. PATIENT: One patient with cardiopulmonary collapse in the setting of a new diagnosis of an anterior mediastinal mass. INTERVENTIONS: Cardiopulmonary support with VA-ECMO; administration of chemotherapy during VA-ECMO. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Successful rescue with VA-ECMO and successful chemotherapy while on VA-ECMO. CONCLUSIONS: VA-ECMO can be successfully used to support patients with cardiopulmonary failure during initial diagnosis of an anterior mediastinal mass. In addition, we have demonstrated that successful chemotherapy can be administered while the patient is supported on VA-ECMO.     

Primary obturator externus pyomyositis in a child presenting as hip pain: a case report

Hip pain in children often poses a diagnostic dilemma. Septic arthritis, Perthes disease, and slipped capital femoral epiphysis are among the most important causes. Pyomyositis involving muscles around the hip can present with similar features as septic arthritis and are difficult to diagnose because of their rarity and indolent presentation. Obturator internus and iliopsoas muscle abscess have been most commonly reported, with only 1 such report on isolated obturator externus muscle abscess. Routine laboratory investigations are nonspecific, and the diagnosis rests on imaging modalities. Magnetic resonance scan is the most useful investigation in the diagnosis and can pick up early changes in the muscle. Treatment involves appropriate antibiotic therapy with or without drainage. Most cases resolve completely. We report here a case of isolated obturator externus muscle abscess in an 11-year-old child illustrating the similarities with septic arthritis of hip and problems encountered during diagnosis and management.