BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, and treatment aspects of elastofibroma dorsi through a retrospective study of 76 patients who underwent surgery between January 2008 and December 2012 in our department.MethodsOur study is retrospective between January 2008 and December 2012. We admitted 79 patients with a subscapular mass, and only 76 patients had ED. The others (n=2) had high associated risk of anesthesia and were managed by a medical treatment and one patient had a subscapular sclerotic hemangioma.ResultsThe average age of the patients was 49 years (range, 38 to 70 years), with a female predominance (54 females and 22 males). Subscapular location was constant. The right, left, and bilateral form was noted in 41, 15 and 20 cases, respectively. The diagnosis was clinical in 60 cases. Ultrasound and computerized tomography scans confirmed the diagnosis of an ill-defined mass in a subscapular location in all cases. Surgical treatment consisted of complete resection of the mass. The clinical diameter of the mass remained significantly lower than that of the surgical specimen (7 cm versus 12 cm) because the major hidden part of the mass in the subscapular area was inaccessible to palpation. Complications were noted in 9 cases (11.8%), seroma in 8 cases (10.5%), infection of wound site in 4 cases (5%), and parietal textilome in one case (1%). No case of recurrence was noted.ConclusionSurgery of elastofibroma is unique because of the subscapular location of the parietal tumor, whose histological fibrous nature makes it very adherent to the chest wall.

Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a sporadic benign skeletal disorder that can affect one bone (monostotic form) or multiple bones (polyostotic bone). Around 6-20% of monostotic FD occurs in the ribs. The objective of this study was to report our experience in the management of the monostotic FD of the ribs. Between January 2004 and December 2009, seven cases of FD of the rib (six men and one woman, mean age 30.4 years, range 17-40 years) were operated on. The patients were evaluated with plain radiographs and computer tomography (CT). All our patients were symptomatic; two patients presented chest pain and swelling and other patients presented only chest pain. One rib was involved in all our patients (monostotic form): the site was fifth rib (four cases), sixth rib (two cases) or second rib (one case). Radiologically, plain films and CT showed an expansible lesion with a ground-glass centre and thinning of the cortex. Rib resection was performed in all patients; there were no postoperative complications and no recurrence in all cases at mean 43 month follow-up. In symptomatic monostotic FD of ribs, the involved segment of bone may be excised to rule out malignancy and for painful lesions.

BackgroundThis study was conducted to determine the efficacy of surgery in the treatment of complex aspergilloma comparatively with simple aspergilloma.MethodsFrom January 2006 to December 2014, 115 cases of pulmonary aspergilloma were admitted in our department. One operation on one side was counted as one case and the patients were divided into two groups. In group A: 61 cases of complex aspergilloma. In group B: 50 patients underwent 54 cases of lung resection for simple aspergilloma. People who underwent arteriography and embolization were excluded. Surgical treatment was indicated when 1) recurrent aspergilloma-related hemoptysis, 2) definite simple or complex aspergilloma and 3) a simultaneous bilateral aspergilloma.ResultsPeople with complex aspergilloma were big smokers with lower BMI, and had reduced lung function parameters. The main symptoms were repeated hemoptysis, chronic cough, abundant purulent expectoration and respiratory infections. Lobectomy was the most performed indication. In group B, number of wedge resections was larger than group A with statistical significant difference (p = 0.001). In the post-operative course morbidity was higher in group A (16 %) vs (9 %) in group B with statistical difference (p = 0.026). The median follow-up was 30 months (range 19–52 months).The median duration of chest tube drainage was 4 days. The duration of chest tube drainage was longer in the group A (4.7 ± 1.4 versus 2.9 ± 1.3; p = 0.005). The prolonged postoperative air leakage occurred more frequently in group A (14.75 %; versus 1.8 % p = 0.015). In group A, 3 cases and 2 in group B underwent a secondary operation for post operative hemothorax. Bronchopleural fistula occurred exclusively in group A (n = 4).ConclusionsThe surgical resection should be used in a multidisciplinary approach. Preoperative Interventional therapies could optimize the conditions for the operation. Total surgical resection must be the treatment of choice of localized causative lesions.

The objective of the study was to report our experience in the management of hydatid cyst of the rib. Between December 2001 and December 2009, five patients underwent surgery for costal echinococcosis, among 234 cases of thoracic hydatid cyst managed in our department. They were three males and two females, aged 19-42 years (mean = 32.2 years). Imaging investigations consisted of chest X-ray and computed tomography. All the patients underwent thoracotomy along the arch of the infected rib. Albendazole was administered postoperatively in all cases. The echinococcosis of the rib was primary in 3 cases, and secondary to thoracic localization in 2 cases. It was located on the right side in four patients, on the left one in one patient. The posterior arch was the site of infection in 3 cases, and the anterior arch in 2 cases. The cyst was intact in 4 cases, and the invasion of adjacent structures was found in one case. There were no concomitant hydatid lesions. The resection of the infected rib was total in 2 cases and partial in 3 cases. There was no postoperative mortality or complications. The follow-up ranged from 28 months to 8 years did not show any recurrence. Echinococcosis of the rib is very rare. To avoid complications and to allow the eradication of the disease, the combination of surgery and antihelmentic drugs remains the best therapeutic choice.

The objective of this work is to review retrospectively our experience with 17 patients presenting with benign neurogenic tumors, managed in the department of thoracic surgery, Mohamed V Military Academic Hospital, Rabat, Morocco. Between 2003 and 2011, seventeen patients were surgically treated for benign neurogenic tumors of the mediastinum, among 112 mediastinal tumors operated during the same period. The mean age of the 17 patients was 46 years, including 11 females and 6 males. The information about clinical presentation, diagnostic procedures, surgical techniques and postoperative follow-up were extracted and analyzed from medical records. Symptoms related to the tumor were found in 13 patients (76,4%). The posterior mediastinum was the principal location (16 cases: 94%). Intraspinal extension was shown through MRI in one case. Surgical extirpation was complete in all patients. There were no tumor-related deaths and no significant complications. There were 13 schwannomas, 2 neurofibromas and 2 ganglioneuromas. Neurogenic tumors of the mediastinum in adults are mostly benign. Their only treatment is surgical extirpation. Video-assisted thoracoscopic resection is currently the best approach in selected patients.