Acute mediastinitis

Acute mediastinal inflammation is a serious disease with high lethality (approximately 50%).
 * Usually as a result of oesophagus perforation (endoscopic procedures, tumours), rarely complications of pneumonia/inflammation of the mediastinal nodes (or lung abscess, empyema) or even as a complication of maxillofacial inflammation.

The clinical picture

 * fever with retrosternal pain,
 * in esophageal perforation dysphagia + subcutaneous emphysema,
 * X-ray : dilation of mediastinum, ev. with pleural effusion + mediastinal emphysema.

Therapy

 * ATB iv, mediastinal drainage.

Related Articles

 * Mediastinum
 * Chronic mediastinitis