title: [Descending necrotizing mediastinitis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  [corrected] Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is an acute, serious, septic disease which results from a complication of oropharyngeal infection. The disease requires a prompt diagnosis and radical surgical treatment to reduce high mortality (40%). The optimal form of mediastinal drainage remains conroversial. The reason for publishing this report is both the fact that DNM is very rare and our experience prefering thoracotomy as an optimal approach to treating the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reported a 34-years-old woman with DNM. The disease began as a peritonsillar abscess. After a bilateral double pleural drainage the disease worsened. In order to achieve radical mediastinal debridement and drainage, we carried out posterolateral right thoracotomy. We also had to perform left thoracotomy bacause of massive bleeding coused by septic erosion. There were no more reoperations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aggressive surgical treatment, regardless the localization and the extent of changes is the key to success in the treatment of patients with necrotizing mediastinitis.
authors.affiliation: Vojnomedicinska akademija, Klinika za grudnu hirurgiju, Beograd. petun@yubc.net
authors.forename: Vlado
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cvijanović
authors.forename: Vojkan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stanić
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ristanović
authors.forename: Bojan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gulić
authors.forename: Savo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Durković
authors.forename: Davor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stamenović
authors.forename: Nebojsa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marić
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D000039:Peritonsillar Abscess / Q000150:complications