[Experience of surgical treatment of huge mediastinal tumors].

OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis and surgical treatment of 36 huge mediastinal tumors were summarized in order to evaluate the effect and safety of the operation. METHODS: Thirty-six huge mediastinal tumor patients treated in our department from June 2006 to June 2013 were retrospective analyzed, of whom clinical manifestations, diagnosis, surgical treatment and prognosis were carefully collected. Twenty-three cases were men and 13 were women. The average age was 39.2 years old. The pathology turned out to be benign in 23 cases and malignant in 13 cases. RESULTS: Complete resection was achieved in 34 cases while palliative resection in 2 cases with no perioperative death. Six cases had developed postoperative complications but all recovered after active treatment. Patients who had been diagnosed with benign tumors were all alive after follow-up periods of 6 months to 7 years. Nine malignat tumor patients developed recurrence or metastasis, including seven deaths. CONCLUSION: Surgery played a vital role in the diagnosis and treatment of huge mediastinal tumors. Preoperative diagnosis, accurate surgical approach and careful operation were the key to successful treatment. Benign huge mediastinal tumors had excellent prognosis with surgery.