[Wide-spread haemangioma racemosum of the mediastinum associated with paresis of the diaphragm; a finding to be considered in the differential diagnosis of the arteriovenous aneurysm of the thorax (author's transl)].

The paper reports on a 5 year old boy showing a sprawling haemangioma racemosum of the right side of the mediastinum. The vascular tumor is fed by a tortuous A. thoracica interna dextra and numerous arterial vessels arising from the right subclavian artery and from the aorta including the right coronary artery and branches from the abdominal aorta. The child presents also paresis of the right diaphragm probably secondary to the pressure of the pulsatile tumore along the course of the phrenic nerve. After ligation of three major feeding arteries the continuous murmur disappeared and fatigability and anorexia became less. Apart from this report a review of the literature on vascular malformations of the arterio-venous fistula type within the thorax sums up the most important features of these vascular anomalies: haemodynamics, localisation, clinical signs, therapy, natural history, therapy and etiology.