AN UNUSUAL CONGENITAL DORSAL MIDLINE THORACIC MASS

Objective: To describe the presentation and investigation of an unusua l form of congenital dorsal midline thoracic mass. Results: An infant born by emergency Caesarean section at 34 weeks gestation was found to have a large dorsal midline thoracic mass. The infant had normal neur ological function in all limbs. Radiological investigation showed no a bnormality in the vertebrae. Ultrasonographic investigation suggested the mass to consist of subcutaneous oedema. The mass resolved complete ly within the first 2 weeks. Conclusions: The lesion observed in this infant represents a very unusual location for a benign condition cause d by cervical pressure on the presenting fetal part. The use of ultras onography enabled rapid exclusion of the more common, potentially seri ous, causes of a congenital midline dorsal thoracic mass.