Menconi G F, Ambrogi M C, Mussi A, Melfi F M, Davini F, Roggi G, Angeletti C A
Dipartimento di Chirurgia, Università degli Studi, Pisa.
Minerva Chir. 1998 Jul-Aug;53(7-8):587-92.
The pericardial cysts are benign "tumors" of the antero-inferior mediastinum, most often asymptomatic, which diagnosis is radiologic and incidental. When cysts are symptomatic and/or diagnosis is difficult, any resort to invasive diagnostic examinations and surgical ablation is suitable.
From January 1993 to January 1994 five patients with pericardial cyst have been treated. Three patients were symptomatic: two suffering from cardiac arrhythmia and one had cough with dyspnea. In three cases the lesion had a typical location and typical radiological patterns, and diagnosis was made by chest X-ray, confirmed by computed tomography (CT). In one case chest X-ray and CT didn't allow a sure diagnosis (differential diagnosis with Morgagni's diaphragmatic hernia), and in another case all examinations suggested a relapsing pleural effusion.
All patients underwent ablation of the cyst by VATS; no complications were observed and patients left the hospital, on average, after 2 days (range 1-3).
VATS, thanks to its low invasiveness, may be considered the method of choice for the diagnosis of atypical lesions and/or treatment of symptomatic cysts.
心包囊肿是前下纵隔的良性“肿瘤”，大多无症状，其诊断依靠影像学检查且多为偶然发现。当囊肿出现症状和/或诊断困难时，采取任何侵入性诊断检查及手术切除都是合适的。
1993年1月至1994年1月间，对5例心包囊肿患者进行了治疗。3例患者有症状：2例患有心律失常，1例有咳嗽伴呼吸困难。3例病变位置典型且有典型的影像学表现，通过胸部X线诊断，计算机断层扫描（CT）予以证实。1例患者胸部X线和CT无法明确诊断（与 Morgagni 膈疝进行鉴别诊断），另1例所有检查提示为复发性胸腔积液。
所有患者均通过电视辅助胸腔镜手术（VATS）切除囊肿；未观察到并发症，患者平均术后2天出院（范围1 - 3天）。
由于VATS的低侵入性，它可被视为诊断非典型病变和/或治疗有症状囊肿的首选方法。
