Diagnostic and therapeutic thoracoscopy for mediastinal disease.
OBJECTIVE
In order to clarify the utility of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for mediastinal disease, we analyzed retrospectively 34 thoracoscopic surgical cases (seven lymph node, nine thymic, eight cystic and 10 cases with solid lesions that excluded thymic diseases) between February 1993 and July 2002.


RESULTS
In lymph node disease, adequate specimens were obtained in all cases; pathologic diagnoses were three sarcoidosis, two tuberculosis, and two other tumors. In thymic disease, all cases underwent thoracoscopic partial resection of the thymus. Conversion to thoracotomy or mediansternotomy was necessary in two cases of epithelial thymic tumors. In cases of cystic diseases, complete resections of the cysts were performed in five cases. Final diagnoses of these cysts were four bronchogenic, three pericardial, and one parathyroid cyst. In solid diseases, nine tumors were completely resected. Final diagnoses of these tumors were six neurogenic, and four other tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
VATS is an effective and reliable approach for managing mediastinal diseases. Cases of small lesions surrounded by thymic tissue, cystic lesions excluding lymphatic duct origin, and neurogenic tumors without evidence of intraspinal invasion are good indications for VATS.
Division of Chest Surgery, Respiratory Disease Center, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
Akihiko
A
Kitami
Takashi
T
Suzuki
Ryosuke
R
Usuda
Mikio
M
Masuda
Shuichi
S
Suzuki
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome