Mediastinoscopy as an Aid in the Diagnosis of Intrathoracic Tuberculosis
Carlens, E.; Herlitz, L.
Acta Tuberculosea et Pneumologica Scandinavica 45: 35-40
1964
ISSN/ISBN: 0365-7531 PMID: 14209268 Document Number: 9333
The described cases illustrate the frequent difficulty of clinically distinguishing tumour, tuberculosis and sarcoidosis from one another with the current diagnostic aids. Mediastinoscopy may here often be of value and is for both patient and doctor a considerably simpler measure than thoracotomy. One can get a more exact diagnosis at an early stage and one is more easily in a position to judge whether chemotherapy should be applied or not. The examination, which has now been carried out in rather extensive series in several parts of Europe without any known serious complications, is performed under general anesthesia and it may be compared, as regards the degree of difficulty, with a prescalene node biopsy. Even if one cannot expect mediastinoscopy to become a routine method everywhere, one should be aware of its existence, and that it may be of great help in connection with unclear changes in lungs and mediastinum.
Document emailed within 1 workday
