Benign mediastinal teratoma causing pericardial tamponade and pleural effusion.

: Mediastinal teratomas are known to adhere to and penetrate the pericardium, but perforation and tamponade are uncommon. We present a patient who developed a life-threatening pericardial tamponade and pleural effusion, whose life was saved by timely surgery. We believe this to be the third successfully treated patient and the first to be reported from Great Britain.