Diagnostic value of anterior mediastinotomy irı intrathoraeie lesions

Between Januar). 1994 to Septemher 1996. 16 patients with mediastinal mass were surgically eAp-Iored. Among them 11 of them were males and 5 were .female. Their ages ranged 35 ta 68 vears (mean 53.8). For 13 patients right anterior me-diastinotomy were pe)formed (81.25%) and left an-terior mediastinotomy were perforıned for 3 pa-tients, respectiyely. 117 one case the right anterioı-mediastinotomy procedure failed and thoracotomy required. In 14 cases of 16 (87.50 %) pathologi• di-agnosis was made hy ınediastinal exploration. Par-hologic extıminations revealed that epidermoid can-cinonıa in 3 patients, sarcoidosis in 3 patients, oat cell carcinoma in 2 patients, lenfoğna in 2 patients. tuberculosis in 2 patients. adenocarcinoma in 1 pa-tient, and chronic nonspesıfic inflamation in 1 pa-tient refflectively. The patient who required tho-racotomy was diagnosed as sarcoidosis. Opeıyuive complication and moı-tality occured,