Rare: Thoracoscopic resection of nerve sheath tumor

Doctors at Da Nang Hospital performed endoscopic surgery to completely remove a rare hourglass-shaped nerve sheath tumor measuring more than 6 cm.

On September 26, information from Da Nang Hospital said that doctors from the Department of Thoracic Surgery had successfully performed endoscopic surgery to completely remove a rare hourglass-shaped nerve sheath tumor, measuring more than 6 cm, located at the top of the left lung, a location where many important blood vessels and nerves are concentrated.

Previously, during a routine health check-up at the company, patient N.D.D (34 years old, residing in Phu Ninh commune, Da Nang city) was discovered to have an abnormal tumor in the left lung apex, so he was admitted to Da Nang Hospital for treatment.

At the Department of Thoracic Surgery, the chest CT scan results detected a lesion image next to the left spine, with clear edges, continuous with the left D1-D2 intervertebral foramen located close behind the left subclavian artery, left vertebral artery, and left common carotid artery.

The patient was diagnosed with posterior mediastinal tumor, D1-D2 position, monitored for an hourglass-shaped nerve sheath tumor and scheduled for thoracoscopic tumor resection. After 2 hours and 30 minutes, the surgery was successful, the patient recovered well, without complications.

Currently, the patient is stable, ptosis condition improved and discharged after 1 week of treatment. Pathology results showed that this is a case of benign nerve sheath tumor.

After 1 week of surgery, the patient was discharged from the hospital.

PHOTO: HOANG SON

Nerve sheath tumors have few symptoms and are difficult to detect.

Specialist Doctor Than Trong Vu, Head of Thoracic Surgery Department, Da Nang Hospital, said that schwannoma is the most common type of nerve tumor in the posterior mediastinum, accounting for more than 75% of nerve tumors in this location.

Usually, these tumors grow slowly, have few symptoms, and are often discovered by chance. However, when the tumor is large, it can compress and cause chest pain, difficulty breathing, hoarseness, or Horner's syndrome (ptosis, miosis). In particular, hourglass-shaped tumors are very rare and surgery is difficult because they involve both the spinal canal and the pleural cavity.

From this case of nerve sheath tumor, Dr. Than Trong Vu recommends: When there are unusual symptoms such as drooping eyelids, chest pain, difficulty breathing, prolonged cough, etc., people need to go to a medical facility with specialized expertise for early diagnosis and timely treatment, avoiding unpredictable complications.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hiem-gap-cat-khoi-u-vo-bao-than-kinh-bang-noi-soi-long-nguc-185250926154416927.htm