Uniportal thoracoscopic excision of a bronchogenic cyst impersonating neurogenic tumor: a case report.

Introduction: Mediastinal bronchogenic cysts (BC) comprise 50%-60% of all mediastinal cysts but are rare in the posterior mediastinum. The infrequent occurrence, unusual features, and atypical locations of posterior BC can result in misdiagnosis before surgery.

Case presentation: A 37-year-old male presented with an incidental finding of paravertebral mass during his workup for renal cell carcinoma of the left kidney. Initially, the mass was diagnosed as a neurogenic tumor which after uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (uVATS) turned out to be a BC in an ectopic location.

Discussion: Surgical resection is recommended for patients with symptoms and is sometimes indicated for asymptomatic patients to confirm diagnosis and prevent possible complications. The mediastinal BC was excised using uVATS, which being minimally invasive reduced the need for postoperative intensive care, minimized scarring, and shortened hospital stays.

Conclusion: BC can appear in atypical sites, which can lead to misdiagnosis. Surgical excision is the preferred treatment for these cysts. uVATS presents a safe method for definitive management in such cases.