Chest wall lump: lipoma or intramuscular myxoma?

Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020 May;68(5):546-548. doi: 10.1007/s11748-019-01157-9. Epub 2019 Jun 14.

Abstract

Intramuscular myxomas (IM) of the chest wall are extremely rare. We present the case of a 58-year-old African-American female who was initially diagnosed with having a chest wall lipoma. After re-evaluation, the lesion was consistent with an intercostal myxoma versus myxoid sarcoma. Preoperative imaging could not exclude malignancy. Given the diagnostic uncertainty, she underwent primary wide local resection and placement of polypropylene mesh for chest wall reconstruction. Histopathological examination revealed an intramuscular myxoma without sarcomatous changes arising from the 8th intercostal muscle bundle.

Keywords: Chest wall tumor; Intramuscular myxoma; Myxoid sarcoma; Myxoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diagnostic Errors
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lipoma / diagnosis*
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Muscle Neoplasms / pathology
  • Muscle Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Myxoma / diagnosis*
  • Myxoma / pathology
  • Myxoma / surgery*
  • Thoracic Wall