Cystic hygroma of the mediastinum is rare. Although 53 cases have been reported, only two of these were described in pediatric journals.1,2 In reporting another instance of the condition, we shall stress not only the difficulty of diagnosis, but also the hazard of failure to diagnose.
Report of a Case
First Admission.—The patient was a white girl weighing 2,500 gm (5 lb 8 oz) at birth. At 2 months of age, she was admitted in severe respiratory distress with cough, perioral cyanosis, flaring of the alae nasi, and deep substernal retractions. Her temperature was 98.5 F (36.9 C); the heart rate was 130 beats per minute. On physical examination there was a dullness over the left anterior chest and a decrease in breath sounds over both anterior lung fields. There were no other abnormal physical findings.Laboratory Findings.—The complete blood cell count was within normal limits, and