Abstract
Between April 1999 and December 2004, 594 patients underwent mediastinoscopy. In this study, we reviewed 54 non lung cancer patients, with mediastinal lymph node swelling in 30 patients, mediastinal tumors in 11 patients, metastatic lung tumors in 6 patients, lung nodules in 4 patients, mediastinal tumors in 2 patients who underwent extirpation by mediastinoscopy, and mediastinitis in 1 patient who underwent drainage by mediastinoscopy, In 30 patients with lymph node swelling, diagnoses were sarcoidosis in 15 patients, non-specific swelling in 8, malignant lymphoma in 6 and silicosis in 1. In 11 patients with mediastinal tumors, diagnoses were thymoma in 5 patients, lymphatic cysts in 2 and Castleman's disease, esophageal cancer, metastatic ovarian cancer and recurrence of leukemia in one patient. Therapeutic mediastinoscopy for 3 patients was sucessful all cases.
Mediastinoscopy was a useful diagnostic method for mediastinal lymph modes or tumors, and a useful surgical method for mediastinal diseases in selected patients.
