Clinical application of video-assisted mediastinoscopy in thoracic diseases

Abstract

Objective To summarize the application of cervical mediastinoscopy in the diagnosis of thoracopathy. Methods Seventeen patients were treated with video-assisted mediastinoscopy through neck-way surgery, including 13 cases with sole mediastinal nodule or mass,of which the pathologic diagnosis was warranted;4 cases diagnosed as lung cancer with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes,of which the clinical stage needed to be clarified. Results Tissue for detailed examination was obtained for all of the 17 cases underwent mediastinoscopy.The successful rate for biopsy was 100%.The final pathologic diagnosis were 6 cases of sarcoidosis, 5 cases of lymph node metastasis from lung cancer, 3 cases of tuberculosis, 2 cases of lymphoma, 1 cases of the chronic lymph node inflammation. Conclusions Video-assisted mediastinoscopy is safe and useful in diagnosing of sole mediastinal mass and clarifying the pathologic stage of patients with lung cancer. Key words: Mediastinoscopy ; Neoplasm staging ; Mediastinal diseases ;