mediastinoscopy

mediastinoscopy, medical examination of the mediastinum (the region between the lungs and behind the sternum, or breastbone) using a lighted instrument known as a mediastinoscope. Because the region of the mediastinum contains the heart, trachea, esophagus, and thymus gland, as well as a set of lymph nodes, mediastinoscopy can be used to evaluate and diagnose a variety of thoracic diseases, including tuberculosis and sarcoidosis (a disease characterized by the formation of small grainy lumps within tissues). It fulfills an especially important role in the detection and diagnosis of cancers affecting the thoracic cavity, serving as one of the primary methods by which tissue samples are collected from the mediastinal lymph nodes for the staging of lung cancer; staging involves the investigation of cells to assess the degree to which cancer has spread. Mediastinoscopy is also frequently used in conjunction with noninvasive cancer-detection techniques, including computerized axial tomography (CAT) and positron emission tomography (PET).

During mediastinoscopy, which is performed under general anesthesia, a surgeon first makes a small incision in the patient’s neck, immediately above the sternum. This step of the procedure is known as mediastinotomy. A mediastinoscope—a thin, light-emitting, flexible instrument—is then passed through the incision and into the space between the lungs. By carefully maneuvering the scope in the space, the doctor is able to investigate the surfaces of the various structures. A video camera attached to the scope aids in the positioning of the instrument and in the visual examination of the tissues. In cancer staging, tissue samples from the lymph nodes are collected by passing a biopsy instrument through a channel in the scope. This may also be performed for other tissues in the region that display signs of disease, such as abnormal growths or inflammation. The biopsy samples are then investigated for evidence of abnormalities, particularly for cellular defects associated with cancer and for the presence of infectious organisms.

Most patients recover within several days following mediastinoscopy, and the procedure is associated with a very low risk of complications. Severe complications—such as bleeding, pneumothorax (damage to the lungs that causes the leakage of air into the space between the lungs and thoracic cavity), infection, or paralysis of the vocal cords—occur in approximately 1 to 3 percent of patients.

For further information about the medical examination of internal tissues of the human body, see endoscopy.