Background Surgical removal plays an irreplaceable important role in mediastinal tumor therapy. With advances of anesthesia, cardiopulmonary bypass and vascular surgery technology, even tumor invading the heart and great vessels can also be removed. Patients get good results after radical surgery. Methods Review The perioperative treatment was reviewed for 36 patients with complicated mediastinal tumor involving the heart and great vessels from February 1997 to March 2014. Out of them, 2 patients underwent extracorporeal circulation; one patient underwent superior vena cava and left innominate vein replacement besides the resection of mediastinal tumor; one did superior vena cava replacement, 3 patients received partial right atrial resection, 5 did superior vena cava angioplasty, 4 did innominate vein resection, 5 did innominate vein angioplasty, 10 did partial excision and repair of pericardium, 8 did pulmonary wedge resection successfully,and 2 did lobectomy. Results All 36 procedures were completed with no perioperative death. Clinical outcome was satisfactory. Conclusions Surgical management for complicated mediastinal tumor invading the heart and great vessels is difficult and risky. Therefore, comprehensive perioperative preparation and appropriate surgical procedures are indispensable for a successful surgery and desirable therapeutic effect. Background Surgical removal plays an irreplaceable important role in mediastinal tumor therapy. With advances of anesthesia, cardiopulmonary bypass and vascular surgery technology, even tumor invading the heart and great vessels can also be removed. Patients get good results after radical surgery. Methods Review The perioperative treatment was reviewed for 36 patients with complicated mediastinal tumor involving the heart and great vessels from February 1997 to March 2014. Out of them, 2 patients underwent extracorporeal circulation; one patient underwent superior vena cava and left innominate vein replacement besides the resection of mediastinal tumor ; one did superior vena cava replacement, 3 patients received partial right atrial resection, 5 did superior vena cava angioplasty, 4 did innominate vein resection, 5 did innominate vein angioplasty, 10 did partial excision and repair of pericardium, 8 did pulmonary wedge resection successfully , and 2 did lobectomy. Results All 36 procedur es were completed with no perioperative death. Clinical results were satisfactory. Conclusions Surgical management for complicated mediastinal tumor invading the heart and great vessels is difficult and risky. Therefore, comprehensive perioperative preparation and appropriate surgical procedures are indispensable for a successful surgery and desirable therapeutic effect .