True thymic hyperplasia associated with severe thymic cyst bleeding in a newborn: case report and review of the literature

Eifinger, Frank; Ernestus, Karin; Benz-Bohm, Gabriele; Körber, Friederike; Hünseler, Christoph; Hekmat, Khosro; Marx, Alexander; Roth, Bernhard

doi:10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2006.04.007

« Previous Next »Annals of Diagnostic Pathology
Volume 11, Issue 5 , Pages 358-362, October 2007

True thymic hyperplasia associated with severe thymic cyst bleeding in a newborn: case report and review of the literature

Frank Eifinger, MD
- Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 9, D-50923 Cologne, Germany
Karin Ernestus, MD
- Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 9, D-50923 Cologne, Germany
Gabriele Benz-Bohm, MD
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Paediatric Radiology, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 9, D-50923 Cologne, Germany
Friederike Körber, MD
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Paediatric Radiology, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 9, D-50923 Cologne, Germany
Christoph Hünseler, MD
- Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 9, D-50923 Cologne, Germany
Khosro Hekmat, MD
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 9, D-50923 Cologne, Germany
Alexander Marx, MD
- Institute of Pathology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider Strasse 2, D-97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Bernhard Roth, MD
- Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 9, D-50923 Cologne, Germany

published online 28 July 2007.

Abstract

We report on a 5-week-old male infant with recurrent respiratory distress since birth and congenital thymic hyperplasia. Acute life-threatening thymic bleeding apparently from ruptured thymic cysts into the pleural spaces complicated the clinical situation. Thoracotomy and complete thymectomy were performed. Histologic examination revealed normal thymic architecture with cysts of different sizes and an increased thymic weight of 30 g. The combination of true thymic hyperplasia and cyst bleeding in a newborn has not been previously reported and will be discussed in relation to the available literature on respiratory distress due to thymic pathology in childhood.

Keywords: True thymic hyperplasia, SIDS, Thymic cyst, Mediastinal mass