Mediastinoscopy: A review of 450 cases

Abstract

This study represents an analysis of 450 mediastinoscopies performed at the University of Minnesota Hospitals between July, 1964, and February, 1972. The complication rate was 1.8 percent and there was no mortality. The overall positive biopsy rate was 44.0 percent with 93 benign and 105 malignant diagnoses made by mediastinoscopy. The yield of mediastinoscopy in bronchogenic carcinoma was significantly better than that of bronchoscopy, cytology and scalene node biopsy. At 19 thoracotomies in patients with positive mediastinoscopy the lesions were found to be unresectable. Contraindications to mediastinoscopy are few, the only absolute one being a previous mediastinoscopy. Mediastinoscopy is indicated in all cases of bronchogenic carcinoma to determine resectability. Mediastinoscopy is the procedure of choice for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.