At North Orlando Surgical Group, we are proud to have established a unique surgical practice characterized by superior skills and extraordinary services both to the patient we care for as well as their referring physicians. We are recognized in Central Florida for our ability to perform complex procedures in the least invasive way. Our attentive staff is focused on providing the highest level of personal services and are committed to making every patient’s surgical experience as comfortable and convenient as it can be.
Mediastinoscopy is a procedure that is performed to get a sample of tissue for diagnosis of disease. This outpatient procedure is a minimally invasive method for viewing the space in the chest between the lungs. Some reasons that your doctor may recommend a mediastinoscopy are:
• Enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes
• A substernal parathyroid adenoma
Enlarged lymph nodes are often found on CT or PET scans. If you are found to have enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes you will most likely be advised to undergo a mediastinoscopy to allow the doctor to get a biopsy of one of these nodes. You can expect to go home the same day. You will be asked to call our office for a follow up appointment, which is usually 1-2 weeks after surgery.
Another reason for a mediastinoscopy is to remove a parathyroid adenoma. The parathyroids are a set of four or more endocrine glands that are generally located in the neck behind the thyroid gland. Hyperparathyroidism is a condition where one or more of these glands develop a growth called a parathyroid adenoma which causes it to make too much parathyroid hormone. The treatment for this condition is to remove the abnormal gland through an incision in the neck. Occasionally the abnormal gland will be located in the chest in the mediastinal space. This is usually found on nuclear medicine parathyroid scan. In this instance the gland must be removed mediastinoscopically. This procedure is done at the hospital. You will be required to stay one night to allow the doctor to check your calcium levels through the night. This procedure is done at the hospital. You will be required to stay one night to allow the doctor to check your calcium levels through the night. The next day you will be permitted to go home and you will be asked to call the office for a follow up appointment, which is usually 1-2 weeks after surgery.
Undergoing any surgery can be frightening, especially when it is for a biopsy. Having a skilled physician who with extensive experience can go a long way in alleviating some of this fear. At North Orlando Surgical group we understand this. Our physicians are highly skilled in all sorts of minimally invasive procedures, including mediastinoscopies. It is this skill set that allows us to provide you the answers you need without the need for a long recovery and with a minimum of pain. If you have had a recent abnormal study and are in need of a biopsy, please call our office right away for a consultation with our physician.