Methods: The data were retrospectively analyzed 84 patients (68 males 16 females; mean age 34.6 years; range 20 to 71 years) who underwent diagnostic mediastinoscopy due to mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The patients were analyzed in terms of the variables of age, sex, duration of operation, the distribution of detected and sampled lymph node stations, peri- and postoperative mortality, morbidity and histopathological diagnosis.

Results: Lymphadenopathy was dedected in 233 lymph node stations by means of radiological examinations. One hundred forty of all lymph node stations were sampled and 77% of these samplings were performed from right upper and right lower paratracheal lymph node stations (2R, 4R). There were complications in four cases (4.8%) but no mortality occurred. Histopathological diagnosis was established by mediastinoscopy in all but two patients in whom the diagnosis was established by thoracotomy. The sensitivity of mediastinoscopy in patients without lung cancer was 93%.

Conclusion: In the light of these findings, mediastinoscopy is an diagnostic method which has a high diagnostic value and which can be performed with low morbidity and mortality rates in the majority of patients who have undiagnosed mediastinal lymphadenopaties.