Successful High Dose Therapy for Relapsed Mediastinal Large B Cell Lymphoma Following Surgical Repair of Anterior Chest Wall Defect

We describe a man with relapsed large B cell mediastinal lymphoma and associated infected large anterior chest wall defect who required high dose salvage therapy for his underlying disease. An initial mediastinotomy wound, associated with recurrent sepsis, had developed into an abscess, then fistula and eventually a large anterior chest wall defect. Safe use of salvage chemotherapy required reconstructive surgery consisting of a pedicled muscle flap. The subsequent high dose chemotherapy was carried out without complications and 15 months later the patient is alive and well.