Acute mediastinitis

Anatomy of the mediastinum

Acute mediastinitis' is a serious disease with a high lethality (approximately 50%).

• Usually a consequence of perforation of the oesophagus (endoscopic procedures, tumours), rarely a complication of pneumonia/mediastinitis (possibly lung abscess, empyema) or even as a complication of coemphysitis.

Clinical picture

• Fever with retrosternal pain,
• with esophageal perforation dysphagia + subcutaneous emphysema,
• X-ray: enlargement of mediastinum, ev. with pleural effusion + mediastinal emphysema.

Therapy

• ATB i.v., mediastinal drainage.

References

Related articles

• Mediastinum
• Chronic mediastinitis

References used

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