PRIMARY TUMORS of the diaphragm were first reported in 1868 by Grancher1 with discovery of a fibroma of the diaphragm during necropsy. In 1955, 49 cases were collected by Drewes and Willmann.51 In 1956, 44 cases, including cystic tumors, were collected by Nicholson and Whitehead.2 Among these collected cases, the primary diaphragmatic nature of some have been questioned.7,58
It is the purpose of this paper to report another case of primary tumor of the diaphragm and to critically reevaluate cases recorded in the world literature.
Report of a Case
A 21-year-old white male showed an irregularity of the left diaphragm on x-ray examination during a preemployment physical examination at the Cumberland Hospital. He was therefore admitted to the surgical service on Dec 11, 1961. About one year previously, he had been classified "medically unfit" for military service because as he was then told, "he had severe