Primary pulmonary meningioma: A case report and literature review

Abstract Introduction Primary pulmonary meningioma is a rare disease. There have been only a little over 50 cases of primary pulmonary meningioma (PPM) reported in previous literature. The pathogenesis of PPM is still unclear. We report a case of PPM cured by thoracoscopic right middle lobe wedge resection and systematically review previously reported cases in previous literature. Case report A 57-year-old male patient was found to have a nodule in the right middle lobe of about 1.8cm in diameter on a chest-enhanced CT scan performed more than 7 years ago. A re-examination in 2023 found the subpleural nodule in the right middle lobe had grown larger than before. Considering surgical treatment, the patient underwent a thoracoscopic right middle lobe wedge resection after a thorough examination. The final pathological diagnosis was primary pulmonary meningioma. Regular follow-up CT scans showed no recurrence. Conclusion Primary pulmonary meningioma is a rare tumor that is difficult to diagnose definitively clinically and radiologically. However, most cases are benign with a good prognosis, and the surgical resection method of choice is usually wedge resection. A small proportion of malignant cases, due to the invasiveness of the tumor, require lobectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The incidence and geographical distribution of primary pulmonary meningioma show certain patterns, with the disease possibly being more prevalent in Asia and more common in females.