Abstract

GUZMAN TORO, Fernando; MORALES, Dimas  and  GUERRERO HERNANDEZ, Yusbelys A. Evaluación, diagnóstico y tratamiento quirúrgico: De las neoplasias del mediastino. Rev. venez. oncol. [online]. 2006, vol.18, n.1, pp.19-27. ISSN 0798-0582.

OBJECTIVES: We review the experience with the diagnosis and management of 36 patients with mediastinal neoplasms during a 20 year period. METHODS: We evaluated 36 patients with mediastinal neoplams: 19 were male and 17 were female. RESULTS: The most frequent clinical manifestations were: dyspnea (47.22 %), cough (36,11 %) and dysphagia (11.11 %). The most common radiological findings were: Mediastinal widening (47.22 %), well defined mediastinal radiodense image (16.6 %) and pleural effusion (8.33 %). The surgical procedures performed most frequently were: anterior mediastinostomy (19.44 %), median sternotomy and thymectomy (19.44 %) and left thoracotomy with tumor resection (16.66 %). The tumor was located in the anterior me-diastinum in 25 patients (69.44 %), visceral compartment in 5 patients (13,88 %) and posterior mediastinum in 6 patients (16.66 %). Lymphoma (16.66 %) and thymoma (16.66 %) were the mediastinal tumors observed most frequently. Surgical morbidity was registered in 6 patients: 2 patients had intraoperative incidental lace-ration of the superior vena cava and 4 patients had immediate postoperative bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: When managing mediastinal neoplasms, early diagnosis and adequate therapeutic strategies are crucial.

Keywords : Tumor; mediastinum; lymphoma; thymoma; treatment; surgery.