Methods: Thirty patients (23 males, 7 females; mean age 45.3 years; range 20 to 65 years) with mediastinal mass underwent diagnostic mediastinoscopy under general anesthesia by the same surgical team by standard cervical approach, between May 2003 and July 2005.
Results: According to the histopathological examination, 14 patients (46.6%) had sarcoidosis, 7 patients (23.3%) had reactive lymph node hyperplasia, 5 patients (16.6%) had tuberculotic lymphadenitis, and 4 patients (13.3%) had metastatic lymph node hyperplasia due to lung cancer-N2.
Conclusion: Our results support the view that mediastinoscopy is a useful method in patients with mediastinal mass which could not be diagnosed with less invasive diagnostic techniques.