role of mediastinotomy in the diagnosis of intrathoracic disease [a clinicopathologic study]

ABSTRACT

Twenty patients with mediastinal, pulmonary and pleural disease were submitted to anterior mediastinotomy as an investigative tool. Diagnostic anterior mediastinotomy yielded positive results in 100 percent of cases and is believed to be far superior to the other diagnostic procedures such as radiography, bronchoscopy and scalene lymph node biopsy. Although the procedure was attended with some complications, yet they were easily managed and no mortality was incurred in the series presented. The indications, operative technique, complications and pathologic findings are discussed