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Objective: To describe two cases of mediastinal lipoblastoma, an infrequent and little-known patho logy, which is extremely rare in the mediastinum, with no cases reported in our country., Clinical Cases: Two case reports. Both patients were boys younger than three years, in which a mediastinal mass was found incidentally on a chest x-ray. The study was complemented with a CT scan and with a thoracoscopic biopsy in one of the cases. Complete resection of the tumor was achieved in both patients through thoracotomy. One of the patients presented Claude Bernard Horner syndrome as a complication from surgery, which resolved spontaneously after two years and the second case had no complications., Conclusion: Mediastinal lipoblastoma is a very rare pathology. Descriptions found in existing literature are similar to the cases presented in this article. We can conclude that mediastinal lipoblastomas in pediatrics present a very similar pattern and presentation, having a good prognosis if complete resection is achieved. Also, it is essential to distinguish it from its differential diagnoses in order to rule out malignancy.

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Lipoblastoma is a rare fatty tumor that is diagnosed almost exclusively in children. Presentation often consists of respiratory symptoms; chest computed tomography shows a hypodense, low, attenuated mediastinal mass. Surgical approach and anesthetic management are dependent on the location of the tumor and the degree of airway compression; in most cases, a thoracotomy is performed, although a sternotomy is used in selected cases. Final diagnosis can be confirmed using molecular genetic analysis; a genetic hallmark of lipoblastoma is the rearrangement of chromosomal region 8q12 and the PLAG1 gene. Tumor recurrence is rare when a complete resection is performed., (Copyright © 2015 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A nine year-old boy presented with symptoms of dyspnoea. The chest radiograph and computed tomography scan revealed a large mediastinal tumour. A decision to operate on the patient was made. A huge 2.45 kg mediastinal lipoblastoma was successfully removed from the boy's chest. At three years no evidence of recurrence was found., (Copyright © 2015 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Resection of inferiorly located posterior mediastinal tumors can be complicated by their proximity to the artery of Adamkiewicz (AKA). Although uncommon, intraoperative injury to the AKA may result in paraparesis or paralysis secondary to spinal cord ischemia. The use of preoperative spinal angiography may serve as a useful adjunct to the surgeon in guiding extent of resection of the tumor to avoid injury to this critical artery., Methods: After IRB approval (H-31712), three patients, from 2008 to 2011, with lower posterior mediastinal tumors were identified. Their charts were reviewed for information concerning preoperative imaging, operative details, and postoperative neurologic complications. The literature regarding imaging of the AKA, cases of injury in pediatric patients, and recommendations for treatment after its injury were reviewed., Results: One patient, who did not have preoperative spinal angiography, developed transient paresis lasting 6 weeks after posterior mediastinal tumor resection. Two patients underwent preoperative spinal angiography with successful localization of the AKA. In both cases, the patients subsequently underwent posterior mediastinal tumor resection without injury to the artery and without postoperative neurologic sequelae., Conclusions: Preoperative spinal angiography may serve as a useful adjunct in the evaluation of children with inferior posterior mediastinal tumors in order to delineate the relationship of the artery of Adamkiewicz to the tumor for the purpose of guiding surgical resection., (© 2013.)