Preservation of the lung after 4-year compression by fibrous tumors of pleura.

Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura is a neoplasm arising from mesenchymal tissue, which may cause dyspnea and cough. Computed tomography in a 72-year-old woman, who had been diagnosed with a 3-cm mass in the left upper lung 24 years previously, identified 15- and 10-cm tumors, with complete collapse of the lingula and lower lobe. The tumors were successfully excised with partial lung resection, and the collapsed lung was preserved. There was no recurrence or atelectasis at 4 years postoperatively.