BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuMediastinoscopy with biopsyMediastinoscopy with biopsy is a procedure in which a lighted instrument (mediastinoscope) is inserted in the space in the chest between the lungs (mediastinum). Tissue is taken (biopsy) from any unusual growth or lymph nodes.BiopsyA biopsy is the removal of a small piece of tissue for laboratory examination.Read Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed This procedure is done in the hospital. You will be given general anesthesia so that you are asleep and do not feel any pain. A tube (endotracheal tube) is placed in your nose or mouth to help you breathe.General anesthesiaGeneral anesthesia is treatment with certain medicines that puts you into a deep sleep so you do not feel pain during surgery. After you receive the...Read Article Now Book Mark Article A small surgical cut is made just above the breastbone. A device called a mediastinoscope is inserted through this cut and gently passed into the mid-part of the chest.Tissue samples are taken of the lymph nodes around the airways. The scope is then removed and the surgical cut is closed with stitches.A chest x-ray will often be taken at the end of the procedure.The procedure takes about 60 to 90 minutes. How to Prepare for the Test You must sign an informed consent form. You will not be able to have food or fluid for 8 hours before the test. How the Test will Feel You will be asleep during the procedure. There will be some tenderness at the site of the procedure afterward. You may have a sore throat. Most people can leave the hospital the next morning.In most cases, the result of the biopsy is ready in 5 to 7 days. Why the Test is Performed This procedure is done to look at and then biopsy lymph nodes or any other abnormal growths in the front part of the mediastinum, near your chest wall.The most common reason is to see if lung cancer (or another cancer) has spread to these lymph nodes. This is called staging. This procedure is also done for certain infections (tuberculosis, sarcoidosis) and autoimmune disorders. Autoimmune disordersAn autoimmune disorder occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake. There are more than 80 autoimmune d...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Normal Results Biopsies of lymph node tissues are normal and do not show signs of cancer or infection. What Abnormal Results Mean Abnormal findings may indicate:Hodgkin disease Hodgkin diseaseHodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of lymph tissue. Lymph tissue is found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, and other sites.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lung cancer Lung cancerSmall cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a fast-growing type of lung cancer. It spreads much more quickly than non-small cell lung cancer. There are two typ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lymphoma or other tumors LymphomaHodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of lymph tissue. Lymph tissue is found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, and other sites.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sarcoidosis SarcoidosisSarcoidosis is a disease in which inflammation occurs in the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, and/or other tissues.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The spread of disease from one body part to another TuberculosisTuberculosisPulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs. It may spread to other organs.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Risks There is a risk of puncturing the esophagus, trachea, or blood vessels. In some cases, this can lead to bleeding that can be life threatening. To fix the injury, the breastbone would need to be split and the chest opened.Open ReferencesReferencesTriplette M, Varghese TK, Cheng G-S. Mediastinal tumors and cysts. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 115.Wald O, Izhar U, Sugar baker DJ. Lung chest wall, pleura and mediastinum. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 58.AllVideoImagesTogMediastinum - illustration 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.MediastinumillustrationMediastinum - illustration 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.Mediastinumillustration Tests for Mediastinoscopy with biopsy Mediastinoscopy with biopsyRelated Information Biopsy(Medical Test)X-ray(Medical Test)Lung cancer - small cell(Condition)Pulmonary tuberculosis(Condition)Sarcoidosis(Condition)Skin nodules(Symptoms)Hodgkin lymphoma(Condition)Hodgkin disease - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 4/18/2022 Reviewed By: Mary C. Mancini, MD, PhD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Shreveport, LA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. 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Mediastinoscopy with biopsyMediastinoscopy with biopsy is a procedure in which a lighted instrument (mediastinoscope) is inserted in the space in the chest between the lungs (mediastinum). Tissue is taken (biopsy) from any unusual growth or lymph nodes.BiopsyA biopsy is the removal of a small piece of tissue for laboratory examination.Read Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed This procedure is done in the hospital. You will be given general anesthesia so that you are asleep and do not feel any pain. A tube (endotracheal tube) is placed in your nose or mouth to help you breathe.General anesthesiaGeneral anesthesia is treatment with certain medicines that puts you into a deep sleep so you do not feel pain during surgery. After you receive the...Read Article Now Book Mark Article A small surgical cut is made just above the breastbone. A device called a mediastinoscope is inserted through this cut and gently passed into the mid-part of the chest.Tissue samples are taken of the lymph nodes around the airways. The scope is then removed and the surgical cut is closed with stitches.A chest x-ray will often be taken at the end of the procedure.The procedure takes about 60 to 90 minutes. How to Prepare for the Test You must sign an informed consent form. You will not be able to have food or fluid for 8 hours before the test. How the Test will Feel You will be asleep during the procedure. There will be some tenderness at the site of the procedure afterward. You may have a sore throat. Most people can leave the hospital the next morning.In most cases, the result of the biopsy is ready in 5 to 7 days. Why the Test is Performed This procedure is done to look at and then biopsy lymph nodes or any other abnormal growths in the front part of the mediastinum, near your chest wall.The most common reason is to see if lung cancer (or another cancer) has spread to these lymph nodes. This is called staging. This procedure is also done for certain infections (tuberculosis, sarcoidosis) and autoimmune disorders. Autoimmune disordersAn autoimmune disorder occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake. There are more than 80 autoimmune d...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Normal Results Biopsies of lymph node tissues are normal and do not show signs of cancer or infection. What Abnormal Results Mean Abnormal findings may indicate:Hodgkin disease Hodgkin diseaseHodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of lymph tissue. Lymph tissue is found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, and other sites.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lung cancer Lung cancerSmall cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a fast-growing type of lung cancer. It spreads much more quickly than non-small cell lung cancer. There are two typ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lymphoma or other tumors LymphomaHodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of lymph tissue. Lymph tissue is found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, and other sites.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sarcoidosis SarcoidosisSarcoidosis is a disease in which inflammation occurs in the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, and/or other tissues.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The spread of disease from one body part to another TuberculosisTuberculosisPulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs. It may spread to other organs.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Risks There is a risk of puncturing the esophagus, trachea, or blood vessels. In some cases, this can lead to bleeding that can be life threatening. To fix the injury, the breastbone would need to be split and the chest opened.Open ReferencesReferencesTriplette M, Varghese TK, Cheng G-S. Mediastinal tumors and cysts. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 115.Wald O, Izhar U, Sugar baker DJ. Lung chest wall, pleura and mediastinum. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 58.