Cervical mediastinoscopy in the diagnosis of lymphadenopathy in South Asia.

We planned to determine the clinical utility and safety of mediastinoscopy in the pathologic diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy and to determine disease patterns in a tertiary care setting in Karachi. The retrospective review comprised record of patients who underwent mediastinoscopy over 25 years between July, 1990 and August, 2015. Of the 122 patients, records were complete for 88(72%). Mean age was 42.5±12.9 years and 55(62.5%) were male. Overall, 60(68.2%) patients had benign inflammatory diseases; 25 (28.4%) had lymphoma or lung cancer which was accurately staged; 26(29.5%) had tuberculosis; 13(14.8%) sarcoidosis; and 11 (12.5%) had concomitant tuberculosis and sarcoidosis. No mortality or significant morbidity was recorded. Mediastinoscopy was useful in staging bronchogenic carcinoma and influenced the management in this series. It was found to be accurate in the diagnosis of other malignant as well as benign mediastinal pathologies, all of which were treatable.