The medisatinum
is the space separating your left and right lung. It contains
your heart, esophagus, trachea, and various blood vessels. A mediastinoscopy
is a surgical procedure allowing the surgeon to examine your mediastinum
using a special lighted scope. It can help the doctor determine
if cancer is present, the type of cancer, and how far the disease
has spread. It may also be used to diagnose other diseases in
the chest. Mediastinoscopy may be used alone, or may be done in
conjunction with a thoracotomy (surgery to open the chest). When
used alone, it is considered an outpatient procedure.
Preparation
The night before your operation, scrub your chest and neck with
an anti-bacterial soap. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight
the night before your operation.
Procedure
You will be asleep during the procedure. An anesthesiologist will
talk to you about general anesthesia prior to surgery. While you
are asleep in the operating room, a small horizontal incision
is made at the base of your neck near the breastbone and a lighted
scope is passed into the mediastinum. Biopsies of lymph nodes
or other tissue in your mediastinum are taken and sent to pathology
for study. You will wake up in the recovery room and transfer
to a regular room soon thereafter.
After
the procedure
Once back in your room, you will continue to recover from general
anesthesia. Within a few hours you will be able to tolerate a
light diet, walk around in your room, and use the bathroom. If
no other procedures are planned, you will be discharged the same
day.
Going
home
You will have a small bandage covering the incision on the lower
part of your neck. Underneath this bandage are small adhesive
strips as well as sutures underneath the skin. You may remove
the bandage the following day. The stitches used to close the
incision will dissolve, so you will not have to see a doctor to
have them removed. The adhesive strips should peel off on their
own in 7-10 days following surgery. If they do not fall off on
their own, gently remove them at that time. You may be sore and
swollen for about a week. After 48 hours, you may wash the area
with soap and water and pat dry. You will receive a prescription
for pain medication to take as needed.
Precautions:
If
you have any persistent hoarseness,
difficulty swallowing or bleeding from the incision,
notify your doctor at (615) 385-4781.
