ObjectiveTo summarize the surgical management of complicated mediastinal tumor involving the heart or great vessels. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 38 patients with complicated mediastinal tumor invading the heart and large blood vessels underwent extended thymectomy in our hospital between February 1997 and May 2014. There were 26 males and 12 females at age of 41.3± 13.6 years ranking from 4 to 68 years. Multiple personalized procedures were applied within the 38 patients and some patients underwent more than one procedure. Besides the resection of mediastinal tumor, 3 patients underwent partial right atrial resection. Sixteen patients underwent resection, plasty or grafting vessels. Ten patients took partial excision and repair of pericardium. Eight patients underwent pulmonary wedge resection. Two patients underwent lobectomy. Two patients required cardiopulmonary bypass. ResultAll operations were completed successfully. There was no perioperative mortality. The operating time was 105-282 min and blood loss was 200-1 500 ml. The postoperative complications rate was 23.7%. The incidence of ICU admission was 47.4% with an average ICU stay of 1.8 days. The average length of post-operative hospital stay was 11.2 days. The five-year survival rate was 57.0%. ConclusionSurgical resection of mediastinal tumor invading the heart or great vessels is complicated and highly risky. However, desirable clinical outcome can be achieved with comprehensive perioperative assessment and appropriate surgical procedures.