title: A comparative analysis of video-assisted mediastinoscopy and conventional mediastinoscopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to compare outcomes of video-assisted mediastinoscopic lymph node biopsy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with outcomes of conventional mediastinoscopic lymph node biopsy in this same patient population.
  
  
  METHODS
  All mediastinoscopies at one medical center from January 2008 to December 2009 were analyzed. Numbers of lymph nodes dissected, stations biopsied, remnant lymph nodes when major lung resection was performed after mediastinoscopic lymph node biopsy, and complications were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 521 mediastinoscopies, 222 were in the conventional mediastinoscopic lymph node biopsy group (CM group) and 299 were in the video-assisted mediastinoscopic lymph node biopsy group (VAM group). Eleven complications (2.11%) occurred, with more occurring in the CM group (3.6%) than in the VAM group (1.6%; p=0.030). The total number of dissected nodes was higher in the VAM group (mean, 8.53±5.8) than in the CM group (mean, 7.13±4.9; p=0.004), and there was no statistically significant difference between the average number of stations sampled in the CM group (2.98±0.7) and in the VAM group (3.06±0.75; p=not significant). The number of remnant lymph nodes when major lung surgery was performed after mediastinoscopy was lower in the VAM group (mean, 5.05±4.5) than in the CM group (mean, 7.67±6.5; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found that video-assisted mediastinoscopic lymph node biopsy had fewer complications than did the conventional method. More lymph nodes were examined and fewer lymph nodes remained after mediastinoscopy by video-assisted mediastinoscopy (VAM) than by conventional mediastinoscopy.
authors: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jong Ho
authors: JH
authors: Cho
authors: Jhingook
authors: J
authors: Kim
authors: Kwhanmien
authors: K
authors: Kim
authors: Yong Soo
authors: YS
authors: Choi
authors: Hong Kwan
authors: HK
authors: Kim
authors: Young Mog
authors: YM
authors: Shim