Mediastinoscopy is a surgery that helps find the cause of swollen lymph nodes. The surgery can help us find signs of infection, swelling, or cancer.
During the surgery, the surgeon explores the area called the mediastinum. This is the upper chest area between and in front of the lungs including:
Heart and large blood vessels
Trachea (windpipe)
Esophagus (feeding tube)
Bronchi (airways to the lungs)
Lymph nodes
During Surgery
During surgery, you will be asleep (under general anesthesia). Your care team will place a tube in your throat to keep your airway open and help you breathe. Your surgeon will then make a small cut (incision) in the upper left chest just above your left collar bone (clavicle). Then, your surgeon will place a small camera through this cut and into the mediastinum.
We will remove small pieces of your tissue (biopsies) and send them to the lab. In the lab, they will look at the biopsies under a microscope to look for inflammation, infection, or cancer. Once the biopsy is taken, we will remove the camera and the tube in your throat. The surgery usually takes 1 to 2 hours.
After Surgery
Staff will take you to a recovery room. They will watch you for 2-4 hours as the anesthesia wears off. Most patients go home the same day, but some may need to stay overnight.
Home Care
You may have sutures (stitches), staples, or small steri-strips (small band aids) closing your skin. Steri-strips are used to keep the skin together and will fall off in 5-7 days.
Bathing
You may shower as normal. Do not bathe or swim for 10-14 or until the cut is healed.
Pain
You may have some discomfort or pain where the cut was placed You can use acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) to help with pain. Call if the pain doesn’t go away.
Activity Restrictions
You will be able to return to work in a week. Do not lift more than 10-15 lbs. for the first 1-2 weeks.
When to Call
Call the clinic if you notice:
Bleeding from your incision
A fever over 100.4°F
Severe chest pain
Swelling in the neck or at the incision
Shortness of breath
Trouble swallowing
Hoarseness of your voice that lasts more than a few days or keeps getting worse
Who to Call
If you have questions, please contact your provider through MyChart or call your provider listed in your After Visit Summary or After Hospital Care Plan. For a list of UW Health Clinics, visit www.uwhealth.org/.