Re-mediastinoscopy in the assessment of resectability of lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Thirty-one patients underwent re-mediastinoscopy in the diagnostic assessment of lung cancer. The reason for a repeat mediastinoscopy was either a negative result at the first operation in spite of CT indication of enlarged nodes or an incomplete first mediastinoscopy.


METHODS
All patients underwent a conventional mediastinoscopy.


RESULTS
In 22 patients with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes at computed tomography, 10 had a positive lymph node histology at re-mediastinoscopy, while 12 were negative. In 9 patients with no enlarged mediastinal nodes at CT scan, but incomplete biopsies at the first mediastinoscopy, 1 patient had lymph node metastases. The median duration from the first to the second mediastinoscopy was 43 days. No major complications occurred. The staging of the patients was greatly affected by the re-mediastinoscopy. Of 31 patients judged as operable according to the initial mediastinoscopy only 60% were found to be operable following the second mediastinoscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has demonstrated the value of re-mediastinoscopy in assessment of resectability of lung cancer.
Olsen
P S
PS
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery RT, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Stentoft
P
P
Ellefsen
B
B
Pettersson
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008481:Mediastinoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012086:Reoperation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed