BACKGROUND: Mediastinoscopy is a widely used technique in the diagnosis of @entity3629 and the staging of @entity153 . Its efficacy in the preoperative staging of @entity2 is well-established, with a procedural sensitivity of greater than 90% and specificity of 100%. Mediastinoscopy can also establish the diagnosis in greater than 90% of @entity3629 . We conducted a retrospective study of mediastinoscopy performed at our institution between 1998 and 2001 to evaluate the safety and efficacy of mediastinoscopy. METHODS: We collected 100 consecutive mediastinoscopies performed in Thoracic Division of Taipei Veterans General Hospital between 1998 and 2001. The indications for mediastinoscopy included mediastinal mass or @entity3329 and the staging of @entity2 . Some @entity1 had the undetermined lung mass with enlarged mediastinal lymph node. RESULTS: There were 69 @entity1 and 31 @entity1 aged from 13 to 87 (mean 60.9). Sixty-seven @entity1 had mediastinoscopy for the staging of @entity2 , 29 @entity1 for diagnosis of mediastinal mass or @entity3329 , and 4 @entity1 for undetermined lung mass with @entity3329 . Among the @entity1 with @entity3629 , @entity370 was diagnosed in 13 @entity1 , and @entity706 in 5 @entity1 . N2 or N3 nodal @entity3 was revealed in 38 of 67 @entity1 who had @entity2 . Fifteen @entity1 with negative mediastinoscopy proceeded to thoracotomy for @entity5 resection. Seventeen @entity1 received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by resection. There were three complications, all due to @entity548 , and no mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Mediastinoscopy is a safe and effective procedure for the diagnosis of @entity5 . In cases of @entity2 , mediastinoscopy can provide more accurate evaluation of mediastinal lymph node @entity3 than conventional diagnostic tools like computed scan or magnetic resonance image with low morbidity and mortality.

The role of mediastinoscopy in the evaluation of XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'patients', 'men'] @entity3329 :: ('MESH:D008206', 'Disease') :: ['mediastinal lymphadenopathy', 'lymphadenopathy'] @entity3629 :: ('MESH:D008477', 'Disease') :: ['mediastinal disease'] @entity706 :: ('MESH:D008223', 'Disease') :: ['lymphoma'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor', 'mediastinal disease and the staging of lung cancer'] @entity548 :: ('MESH:D006470', 'Disease') :: ['bleeding'] @entity2 :: ('MESH:D008175', 'Disease') :: ['lung cancer'] @entity153 :: ('MESH:D002283', 'Disease') :: ['bronchogenic carcinoma'] @entity3 :: ('MESH:D009362', 'Disease') :: ['metastasis'] @entity370 :: ('MESH:D012507', 'Disease') :: ['sarcoidosis']
@entity2 :: (MESH:D008175,Disease) :: ['thoracic disease and lung cancer']
