[Preliminary experience of video-mediastinoscopy in clinical application].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the value of video-mediastinoscopy in clinical application.


METHODS
The clinical data of 54 patients receiving video-mediastinoscopy were reviewed retrospectively. This operation consisted of cervical mediastinoscopy in 44 patients, parasternal mediastinoscopy in 6, and combined procedures in 4. Of these patients, 18 underwent video-mediastinoscopy for the evaluation of undifferentiated mediastinal disease. Thirty-six patients with suspected lung cancer showed enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes radiographically in the chest and underwent video-mediastinoscopy.


RESULTS
Seventeen of 18 patients with undetermined mediastinal diseases had a definitive pathologic diagnosis, with an accuracy of 94.4% (17/18). In the 36 patients with suspected lung cancer, 22 were positive, and 14 negative. In the negative patients who underwent thoracotomy with resection, mediastinal lymph nodes revealed no evidence of metastasis. There were no postoperative complication and deaths.


CONCLUSIONS
Video-mediastinoscopy as a highly effective and safe procedure could be used in the diagnosis and staging of thoracic diseases.
Wang
Jun
J
Department of Thoracic Surgery, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China.
Zhao
Hui
H
Liu
Jun
J
Li
Jianfeng
J
Li
Yun
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008481:Mediastinoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis