Video-assisted thoracoscopy for the diagnosis of mediastinal masses in children.
OBJECTIVE
Video-assisted thoracoscopy has been successfully used for several different thoracic procedures in adults. However, its use in children has been limited. The present study evaluated our experience with video-assisted thoracoscopy in the diagnosis of mediastinal masses in children.


METHODS
Nine children (age range, 3 to 18 years) with undiagnosed mediastinal masses underwent video-assisted thoracoscopy. The operation was performed using general anesthesia, with the patient intubated with a single lumen endotracheal tube.


RESULTS
In all cases adequate tissue for diagnosis was obtained. Three patients had tuberculosis, two had Hodgkin's disease, two had granuloma, one had metastatic Wilms' tumor, and one had thymic hyperplasia. There were no complications related to the operative procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Video-assisted thoracoscopy for the diagnosis of mediastinal masses in children is a safe procedure. It provides good visualization, access to the mediastinum and adequate tissue for diagnosis. Further, postoperative discomfort is tolerable and cosmetic results are excellent.
Sandoval
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C
Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Westchester County Medical Center, Valhalla 10594, USA.
Stringel
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G
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020708:Thoracoscopes; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D014741:Video Recording