[A successful case of mediastinal cystic lymphangioma and statistical considerations in the Japanese literature].

A 38-year-old man with large mediastinal cystic lymphangioma was successfully treated. Although he was asymptomatic, mass lesion on chest X-ray, pointed out two years ago, has rapidly increased in its size. The operation was performed through right thoracotomy and the cyst was unilobular and 10 X 8 X 8 cm in size, presented in the right upper anterior mediastinum. It contained about 250 ml of yellowish clear fluid with very thin wall, which was verified as tissue lymph by biochemical examination. Only 27 cases of mediastinal cystic lymphangiomas have been reported in the Japanese literature by 1988. Complete resection of the cyst should be recommended, since almost no evidence of postoperative recurrence would be expected.