[Application of mediastinoscopy to diagnosis of mediastinal diseases and staging of lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
It is still very difficult to make a definite diagnosis for some mediastinal diseases through some examinations, such as CT scan and fibrobronchoscopy. To judge the metastasis of mediastinal lymph nodes exactly for lung cancer patients and make proper staging of lung cancer are important for defining therapeutic schedule and estimating prognosis. This study was to explore the application value and summarize the experience of mediastinoscopy in the diagnosis of mediastinal diseases and the staging of lung cancer with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes.


METHODS
Mediastinoscopy and biopsy were performed in 16 patients with different mediastinal diseases detected by imaging examinations and 14 lung cancer patients with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes diagnosed by CT scan, PET, or fibrobronchoscopy. The staging of lung cancer was identified according to pathologic diagnosis.


RESULTS
Of the 16 patients with different mediastinal diseases clarified by mediastinoscopy, 5 had nodule diseases, 3 had mediastinal lymph node tuberculosis, 2 had mediastinal lymphnoditis, 2 had lymphoma, 1 had extra-gastrointestinal type gastrointestinal malignant interstitialoma,1 had thymoma, 1 had metastatic small cell carcinoma, and 1 had metastatic adenocarcinoma. Of the 14 lung cancer patients with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes, 6 had metastatic lymph nodes, and 8 had not; all of the 14 cases were accurately staged and received successful operations without severe postoperative complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Mediastinoscopy is a safe, accurate and effective procedure for the diagnosis of mediastinal diseases and the staging of lung cancer.
Chen
Chun
C
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, P. R. China.
Lin
Pei-Qiu
PQ
Lin
Ruo-Bai
RB
Kang
Ming-Qiang
MQ
Zheng
Wei
W
Chen
Dao-Zhong
DZ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008481:Mediastinoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult