Thoracoscopic surgery in the management of mediastinal masses. Indications, complications, limitations

• Published in: Surgical endoscopy Vol. 10; no. 7; p. 718
• Main Authors: Dmitriev, E G, Sigal, E I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.07.1996
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Endoscopy; Female; Humans; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Mediastinal Diseases - diagnosis; Mediastinal Diseases - pathology; Mediastinal Diseases - surgery; Mediastinal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Mediastinal Neoplasms - pathology; Mediastinal Neoplasms - surgery; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Thoracoscopy
• ISSN: 0930-2794
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00193042

In recent times thoracoscopy has been used for diagnoses and treatment of mediastinal masses. This study is a preliminary review of indications, complications, and limitations in this field of surgery. Twenty-eight patients with mediastinal masses were operated in the Clinical Oncological Centre, Kazan. Twenty-two of them had anterior mediastinal growths; six had posterior mediastinal tumors. Thoracoscopy was diagnostic in 14 cases; it was therapeutic in 14 cases. The definite diagnosis was achieved in all patients. In cases of benign lesions the operations were successfully completed thoracoscopically. All patients underwent a postoperative period with low pain and short postoperative time. Video-assisted thoracoscopy is indicated in cases of mediastinal masses, both for diagnosis and treatment. It has significant advantages compared to normal thoracoscopy and mediastinoscopy.