[Descriptive study of complications caused by mediastinoscopy]

To analyze the surgical and non surgical complications of mediastinoscopy in a series of 200 consecutive patients. Retrospective study of all surgical patients between 1 January 1994 and 1 May 1997. Any complication presenting between time of surgery and patient release is analyzed. Complications were seen in 8 out of 200 cases (4%). In three cases, there were lesions in neighboring structures (recurrent nerve, bronchial artery and innominate artery). The rest were non surgical complications (3 cases of arrhythmia, 2 of prolonged mechanical ventilation). One male patient (0.5%) died from cerebral infarction, probably as a result of arterial occlusion needed to suture damage to the innominate artery. Superior win cava syndrome affected 20% (1 in 5) and morbidity was 60% (3 in 5). Morbidity involving both medical and surgical complications in this series is higher than that reported elsewhere in the literature, in series for which non surgical complications go unreported.