title: Cervical mediastinoscopy: re-evaluation of an old technique in era of new imaging technology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the advent of modern anatomical and functional imaging technologies, application of cervical mediastinoscopy has decreased in diagnosis and staging of mediastinal diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the usefulness of cervical mediastinoscopy in assessing the mediastinal disease when imaging modalities are non-diagnostic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of records of a tertiary care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine patients with mediastinal pathology of varied aetiologies underwent cervical mediastinoscopy. Pre- and post-operative diagnosis was compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 34 out of 39 cases (87.5%), cervical mediastinoscopy provided a confirmatory final diagnosis. One case had a major complication in the form of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cervical mediastinoscopy is useful, minimally invasive modality in a scenario where anatomical and functional imaging tools are non-diagnostic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Army Hospital (R&R), New Delhi, India. bolubonkey@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ganguly
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nath
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008481:Mediastinoscopy / Q000379:methods*