What Is a Mediastinoscopy?

A mediastinoscopy is a surgical procedure that allows a surgeon to directly visualize and biopsy tissue from the mediastinum, the area of the chest between the lungs. It involves making a small incision in the neck, and under general anaesthesia, the surgeon uses a mediastinoscope, which is a specially designed lighted viewing tube, to examine this area.

During a mediastinoscopy, the surgeon can perform the following:

Biopsy: Small samples of tissue from the mediastinal lymph nodes or other abnormal structures can be taken for microscopic analysis to determine the cause of any enlargement, inflammation, or suspicious lesions in the mediastinum.

Staging: For certain cancers such as lung or oesophageal tumours, mediastinoscopy can help assess the spread or stage of the disease. This is done by carefully examining and evaluating any involved mediastinal structures.

Diagnosis of Mediastinal Masses: By directly visualising the mediastinum, a mediastinoscopy can help identify the nature and origin of abnormal growths, masses or enlarged lymph nodes in the mediastinum.

Mediastinoscopy is mainly used when other diagnostic tests, such as imaging studies, have failed to provide a clear diagnosis or additional information is required to determine the cause of symptoms or abnormalities related to the mediastinum.

Some of the conditions that may require a mediastinoscopy include:

1. Unexplained Enlargement of Mediastinal Lymph Nodes

2. Staging of Cancers (Especially Lung or Oesophageal)

3. Evaluation of Suspicious Lesions or Masses in the Mediastinum

4. Diagnosis of Mediastinal Infections or Inflammatory Conditions

5. Evaluation of Certain Lung Diseases, such as Sarcoidosis or Tuberculosis

6. Removal of Foreign Objects from the Mediastinum

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks associated with mediastinoscopy, which should be discussed in detail with your healthcare provider before proceeding with the procedure.