Background: This study aims to compare the results of videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery and thoracotomy in the treatment of mediastinal cystic lesions.

Methods: Sixty patients (28 males, 32 females; mean age 36.1±19.4 years; range, 2 days to 82 years) who were performed thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for mediastinal cyst treatment in our clinic between January 1997 and December 2016 were retrospectively evaluated. Chest radiography and thorax computed tomography were used in all participants for diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging was used additionally in 23 participants.

Results: Of the patients, mediastinal cysts were localized in anteriorsuperior mediastinum in 19 (31.7%), middle mediastinum in 19 (31.7%) and posterior mediastinum in 22 (36.6%). Histopathologically, 17 bronchogenic cysts, 15 hydatid cysts, 10 pericardial cysts, seven cystic teratomas, four enteric cysts, four thymic cysts, two lymphangiomas and one thoracic duct cyst were identified. While thoracotomy was performed in 34 patients (56.7%), video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed in 26 patients (43.3%). Mean duration of thoracotomies and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgeries was 123.6±24.7 minutes and 87.4±17.6 minutes, respectively (p<0.01). Mean duration of hospital stay was 8.2±4.3 days after thoracotomy and 4.3±1.2 days after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (p<0.01). While postoperative complications developed in four patients (two pneumothoraxes, one pleural effusion, one chylothorax), no mortality was observed in any of them.

Conclusion: Main treatment method for mediastinal cysts is surgery. Thoracoscopic approach significantly reduces patient’s duration of surgical procedure and postoperative duration of hospital stay. We believe that minimally invasive approaches will be administered more frequently compared to open surgeries for mediastinal cysts in the near future.

Keywords : Cyst; mediastinum; thoracoscopy; thoracotomy