Chest Wall Hamartoma in an Adult: An Unusual Chest Wall Tumor

Abstract

An asymptomatic intrathoracic mass was demonstrated on imaging studies in an adult. Operative removal was accomplished and it proved to be an extrapulmonary hamartoma arising from the soft tissue of the chest wall. This represents a rare location of this benign tumor in an adult.

Urgent resection of bleeding congenital mesenchymal chest wall hamartoma in an infant

“…In the recent literature nearly 80 cases have been reported [ 3 ] mostly in form of case studies. Usually the mass presents in early infancy although some cases with presentation in adults were observed [ 4 ].…”

Mesenchymal Hamartoma: A Review of Literature

“…Mesenchymal hamartomas are rare, benign osseous tumors that typically involve the rib cage and present during the first year of life [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Aggressive growth is not part of the natural history, and surgical excision is generally curative.…”

Management of Symptomatic Mesenchymal Hamartoma of the Chest Wall: Surgical Resection Only in Symptomatic Cases

“…Prenatal ultrasonography (US) and fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have recently raised the number of diagnosed cases [ 8 , 14 , 23 , 25 ] . At birth, children may have respiratory distress or an asymptomatic mass arising from the ribs; the occurrence late in adulthood is also described [ 11 ] . MHCW is usually unilateral and often right-sided [ 14 , 18 ] , but quite frequently, bilateral [ 15 , 18 , 24 , 30 ] and multifocal ipsilateral masses [ 12 , 22 , 27 ] have been described.…”