[Mediastinoscopy: technical aspects and current indications].

Mediastinoscopy is an useful tool for mediastinal exploration with minimal surgical trauma. The anatomical and Technical basis of this procedure are simple and safe, and can be adapted to specific purposes. Surgical intervention is performed under general anesthesia and is carried out direct visual inspection. Mediastinoscopy is a diagnostic routine procedure in lung cancer staging and mediastinal adenopathy investigation. Since Carlens described the method of cervical mediastinoscopy, other authors developed new techniques, in order to improve and extend the range of mediatinal exploration. The mediastinoscope and the other tools used to perform the classic mediastinoscopy can also be used to perform pleuroscopy and even the transmediastinal esophagectomy.