title: [Diagnosis and surgical treatment of mediastinal tumors and cysts: analysis of 343 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the experience of diagnosis and surgical treatment of mediastinal tumors and cysts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 343 cases with mediastinal tumors and cysts who underwent operation from March 1996 to April 2005, 208 males and 135 females, aged 40.5 +/- 16.1, were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No specific symptom and sign was found among the patients. Tumor of Thymus accounted for 42.24%. 300 of the 343 patients were subjected to radical excision, and 25 patients to partial excision. The diagnosis of all the patients was confirmed by postoperative histopathological examination. Surgically related complications were observed in 9 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tumor of thymus is the commonest mediastinal tumors. Early operation is necessary provided there is no contraindication thereto.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Nai-Kang
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chao-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008476:Mediastinal Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications