A case of tuberculous granulomatous mediastinitis and constrictive pericarditis simulating malignant mediastinal tumor

Abstract

A case is 40-year-old man. He presented anterior chest pain. Pericardial effusion was pointed out and a tuberculin skin test was positive. Tuberculous pericarditis was highly suspected, so INH and RFP were medicated. After 6-month medication pericardial effusion decreased, but right pleural effusion appeared on chest X-ray. Chest CT revealed a thickening of pericardium extend to anterior mediastinal mass. Echocardiogram revealed a pressure gradient in right ventricle, which was compressed by the thickened pericardium. We underwent median sternotomy in order to rule out neoplastic diseases. Intraoperative pathologic diagnosis was granulomatous mediastinitis and pericarditis, so we resected granuloma as much as possible to decompress the heart. Although Mycobacterium tuberculosis was not found in the resected granuloma, it was most probable pathogen. He received additional antituberculous chemotherapy for 6 months.