Mediastinoscopy is a procedure

Procedure (term)

A procedure is a sequence of actions or operations which have to be executed in the same manner in order to always obtain the same result under the same circumstances ....

 that enables visualization of the contents of the mediastinum

Mediastinum

The mediastinum is a non-delineated group of structures in the thorax, surrounded by loose connective tissue. It is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity...

, usually for the purpose of obtaining a biopsy

Biopsy

A biopsy is a medical test involving sampling of cells or tissues for examination. It is the medical removal of tissue from a living subject to determine the presence or extent of a disease. The tissue is generally examined under a microscope by a pathologist, and can also be analyzed chemically...

. Mediastinoscopy is often used for staging of lymph node

Lymph node

A lymph node is a small ball or an oval-shaped organ of the immune system, distributed widely throughout the body including the armpit and stomach/gut and linked by lymphatic vessels. Lymph nodes are garrisons of B, T, and other immune cells. Lymph nodes are found all through the body, and act as...

s of lung cancer

Lung cancer

Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...

 or for diagnosing other conditions affecting structures in the mediastinum such as sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis , also called sarcoid, Besnier-Boeck disease or Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann disease, is a disease in which abnormal collections of chronic inflammatory cells form as nodules in multiple organs. The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown...

 or lymphoma

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...

.

Mediastinoscopy involves making an incision approximately 1 cm above the suprasternal notch

Suprasternal notch

The suprasternal notch , also known as the jugular notch, is part of human anatomy. It is a large, visible dip.-Anatomical location:...

 of the sternum, or breast bone. Dissection is carried out down to the pretracheal space and down to the carina. A scope (mediastinoscope

Mediastinoscope

A mediastinoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument used to examine the tissues and lymph nodes in the area between the lungs in a procedure known as mediastinoscopy. These tissues include the heart and its large blood vessels, trachea, esophagus, and bronchi. The mediastinoscope has a light and a...

) is then advanced into the created tunnel which provides a view of the mediastinum. The scope may provide direct visualization or may be attached to a video monitor.

Mediastinoscopy provides access to mediastinal lymph node levels 2, 4, and 7.

Extended mediastinoscopy

Extended mediastinoscopy is a technique which allows access to the pre-aortic (station 6) and aortopulmonary window

Aortopulmonary window

Aortopulmonary window also refers to a congenital cardiac defect called aortopulmonary septal defect. There is a deficiency in the septum between the aorta and pulmonary artery, resulting in a communication between the two....

 (station 5) lymph nodes.

Parasternal mediastinotomy

Parasternal mediastinotomy, aka, a Chamberlain procedure, is the standard approach to access lymph nodes at stations 5 and 6.