Explanation: Extrapleural fat, endothoracic fascia, and the innermost layers of intercostal muscle are superficial to the parietal pleura. Extrapleural fat is usually seen as a 1mm thick low attenution line on chest CT and is almost imperceptible in normal individuals.2 It may be thicker in obese patients. Accumulation of blood in the extrapleural space results in an extrapleural hematoma (EPH)...

RATIONALE Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare benign soft tissue mesenchymal neoplasm. There have been a few reports of extrapleural SFTs although it can occur anywhere in the body. PATIENT CONCERNS A 30-year-old male presented with an anterior neck mass since one month. DIAGNOSES Based on physical and radiologic examination, preliminary differential diagnosis was thymic neoplasm or intr...

A 75-year-old female non-smoker was admitted for investigation of suspected interstitial lung disease. A left lower lobe transbronchial lung biopsy was performed, complicated by suspected bilateral pneumothoraces, pneumomediastinum and surgical emphysema (fig 1). Bilateral intercostal catheters (ICCs) were inserted. In view of the ongoing air leak and worsening surgical emphysema, a CT chest wa...

We report a case of a 76-year-old man with fibrocavitary nontuberculous mycobacterial (FC-NTM) lung disease, who was successfully treated with right extrapleural completion pneumonectomy. Right extrapleural completion pneumonectomy with careful coverage of the bronchial stump might be effective in patients with FC-NTM lung disease.

This is a step-by-step video demonstration of a left extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma, including thoracotomy incision, extrapleural mobilization of tumor, resection of diaphragm, mediastinal nodal dissection and division of hilar vessels followed by reconstruction of diaphragm and closure of the thoracotomy.

OBJECTIVES Our aim was to identify prognostic variables for long-term postoperative survival in trimodality management of malignant pleural mesothelioma. METHODS From 1980 to 1997, 183 patients underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. RESULTS Forty-three women and 140 men (age range 31-76 years) had a median follow-up of 13 months. The periope...

OBJECTIVES The epidemiology of extrapleural malignant mesothelioma is rarely discussed and the risk of misdiagnosis and the very low incidence complicate the picture. This study presents data on extrapleural malignant mesothelioma from the Italian National Mesothelioma Register (ReNaM). METHODS ReNaM works on a regional basis, searching for cases and interviewing subjects to investigate asbes...