[Indications for mediastinoscopy]

Mediastinoscopy is a surgical examination exploring the anterior and superior mediastinum for diagnosing and localizing lesions, after taking such precautions as the elimination of vascular lesions. The indications are : interbronchial and intertracheobronchial opacities ; polylobulated mediastinal opacities ; the isolated opacity (in case of inconclusive mediastinoscopy, operate straight away) ; pulmonary lesions : to look for mediastinal node untraceable on X-ray. In the particular case of a broncho-pulmonary cancer, if it is anaplastic, mediastinoscopy is useful to determine diagnosis and contra-indications ; in other bronchial cancers, there are contra-indications in the case of bilateral invasion and blocking of mediastinal organs. Surgery is advised in case of hypertrophied though negative lymph nodes.