MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Mediastinum

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Mediastinum

Mediastinoscopy is a procedure in which a lighted instrument (mediastinoscope) is inserted through a neck incision to visually examine the structures in the top of the chest cavity and take tissue samples. This procedure can be used to biopsy lymph nodes surrounding the airway to help diagnose or see how far a particular disease has spread.

Update Date: 6/7/2006

Updated by: J.A. Lee, M.D., Division of Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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