Abstract
Mediastinoscopy has been widely adopted as a useful modality of biopsy for mediastinal tumor and lymph nodes because of its less surgical complications and stress. We applied the mediastinoscopy for the extirpation of mediastinal cyst successfully. A 72-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a complaint of right upper limb numbness. The chest MRI revealed a tumor in the right side of trachea, showing high intensity under T2 condition by chance. The enhanced chest CT also depicted the low density tumor about 3cm in diameter in the same site. These findings suggested that the tumor is a mediastinal cyst. Mediastinoscope was inserted into the anterior mediastinum via a 3cm suprasternal transverse incision, and a cystic lesion was recognized in the right paratracheal area. The cyst was dissected fully from surroundings, and extirpated without difficulties by an alligator forceps. There is no intraoperative complication, such as bleeding and pneumothorax, and the postoperative course was satisfactory free from severe pain. Mediastinoscopy is useful for the extirpation of mediastinal cysts in invasiveness and safety.
