Complete resection of a giant mediastinal teratoma occupying the entire right hemithorax in a 14-year-old boy

BACKGROUND Mature teratomas are the most common histological type of germ cell tumors. CASE PRESENTATION A 14-year-old boy was referred to our hospital with a giant mature teratoma occupying the entire right hemithorax compressed the superior vena cava (SVC) and total atelectasis of the right lung. He was misdiagnosed as malignant teratoma by a fine-needle biopsy in a hospital. After 4-cycle of chemotherapy without effect, he underwent an unsuccessful exploratory thoracotomy. Venous conduit bypass between the right jugular vein and right femoral vein was established in the operating room for superior vena cava (SVC) replacement if needed. En bloc resection of the huge tumor, wedge resection of the dense adhesions of the right lung and partial pericardectomy were successfully performed, and lung function was recovered. CONCLUSION To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of complete resection of the teratoma occupying the whole right hemithorax combined with wedge resection of the right upper, middle and lower lobes and partial resection of the pericardium.