Totally implantable venous access devices (TIVADs) offer significant advantages for long-term intravenous therapy, but their use is not without potential complications. Catheter migration is one of them.
An 11-year-old boy with a primitive neuro-ectodermal tumor (PNET) undergoing chemotherapy was a candidate for a TIVAD placement. A TIVAD was implanted through the right internal jugular vein and secured to the pectoralis major in a right thoracic subcutaneous pouch without complications. Approximately six months later, port malfunction was noticed. Physical examination revealed that the port was no longer palpable, and a chest X-ray confirmed that the port was displaced. Subsequent chest X-rays showed different locations of the port and the catheter. With the hypothesis that the port had entered the pleural space and was moving freely, we did an exploratory thoracoscopy. We confirmed the intrapleural position of the port and catheter and removed both without complications. The patient was discharged four days later.
Although rare, TIVADs can migrate from the chest wall into the pleural cavity. Frequent evaluation of their function and position is critical for the early detection of complications.
Pediatric massive thymic hyperplasia is a rare condition that can masquerade as a respiratory illness, making diagnosis challenging.
An 18-month-old female with a 3-month history of multiple admissions for suspected pneumonia warranting antibiotics presented with recurrent respiratory distress, fevers, and fatigue. Work-up for possible parapneumonic effusion, including six chest x-rays and an ultrasound, eventually led to a computed tomography (CT) of the chest, which revealed a large homogeneous mass occupying much of the right-hemithorax. Percutaneous core biopsy showed thymocytes suggestive of either a massive thymic hyperplasia or a thymoma. Consensus was to proceed with upfront surgical resection of the mass, which was performed via right thoracotomy. Pathology was consistent with true thymic hyperplasia. The post-operative course was uncomplicated, and no issues were identified at 3-month follow-up. We plan to follow the patient at 6 months, 1 year, and then annually with surveillance chest x-rays to monitor for recurrence case-report.
Thymic hyperplasia should be included in the differential diagnosis of pediatric patients with persistent respiratory symptoms and abnormal findings on chest x-ray.
Intramuscular hemangiomas (IMH) are rare benign vascular tumors. They can occur anywhere in the body but are more common in the head and neck. Their location in the muscles of the abdominal wall is uncommon.
A 14-year-old girl presented with 5 months of progressive swelling on the right side of her abdomen followed by intermittent pain. On examination, a solitary mass with ill-defined borders was noted fixed to the subcutaneous tissue in the right lumbar quadrant. After elevating the right leg, the swelling became more prominent. Doppler ultrasonography revealed a mixed echogenic mass in the subcutaneous plane of the anterior abdominal wall of the right lumbar region. Magnetic resonance imaging of abdomen was suggestive of hemangioma, and the patient underwent surgical excision. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of capillary hemangioma. During follow-up at 3 and 6 months, the patient did not present with recurrence and was healthy.
Although IMH is a rare soft-tissue tumor, it should be considered when diagnosing symptomatic intramuscular swelling.