Ectopic mediastinal parathyroid tumor resected by video-assisted thoracic surgery with intraoperative methylene blue infusion; report of a case

We report a surgical case of ectopic mediastinal parathyroid tumor resected by video-assisted thoracic surgery with intraoperative methylene blue infusion. It is often difficult to detect ectopic mediastinal parathyroid tumor during the operation because the tumor is soft, small and buried under mediastinal tissue. After methylene blue 4 mg/kg intravenously administration, the tumor was gradually dyed blue and easily detected and resected by video-assisted thoracic surgery. It is useful of methylene blue for detection of ectopic mediastinal parathyroid tumor.