Mediastinitis
(Redirected from Mediastinal fibrosis)
Inflammatory process affecting the mediastinum
| Mediastinitis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms | |
| Pronounce | |
| Field | |
| Symptoms | |
| Complications | |
| Onset | |
| Duration | |
| Types | |
| Causes | |
| Risks | |
| Diagnosis | |
| Differential diagnosis | |
| Prevention | |
| Treatment | |
| Medication | |
| Prognosis | |
| Frequency | |
| Deaths | |
An inflammatory process affecting the mediastinum.
Types[edit | edit source]
Mediastinitis can be acute or chronic, depending on the onset.
Risk factors[edit | edit source]
It most often occurs in person who recently had an upper endoscopy or chest surgery.
- A person may have a tear in their esophagus that causes mediastinitis.
- Disease of the esophagus
- Diabetes mellitus
- Problems in the upper gastrointestinal tract
- Recent chest surgery or endoscopy
- Weakened immune system
Causes[edit | edit source]
Causes of the tear include:
- A procedure such as endoscopy
- Forceful or constant vomiting
- Trauma
- A fungal infection called histoplasmosis
- Radiation
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, or other tissues (sarcoidosis)
- Tuberculosis
- Breathing in anthrax
- Cancer
Signs and symptoms[edit | edit source]
- Chest pain
- Chills
- Fever
- General discomfort
- Shortness of breath
Signs of mediastinitis in people who have had recent surgery include:
- Chest wall tenderness
- Wound drainage
- Unstable chest wall
Investigations[edit | edit source]
Tests may include:
- Chest CT scan or MRI scan
- Chest x-ray
- Ultrasound
- MRI of the chest
Treatment[edit | edit source]
You may receive antibiotics if you have an infection.
You may need surgery to remove the area of inflammation if the blood vessels, windpipe, or esophagus is blocked.
Prognosis[edit | edit source]
- How well a person does depends on the cause and severity of the mediastinitis.
- Mediastinitis after chest surgery is very serious. There is a risk of dying from the condition.
Complications[edit | edit source]
Complications include the following:
- Spread of the infection to the bloodstream, blood vessels, bones, heart, or lungs
- Scarring - Scarring can be severe, especially when it is caused by chronic mediastinitis. Scarring can interfere with heart or lung function.
Prevention[edit | edit source]
- To lessen the risk of developing mediastinitis related to chest surgery, surgical wounds should be kept clean and dry after surgery.
- Treating tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, or other conditions associated with mediastinitis may prevent this complication.
Alternative Names: Chest infection
External links[edit | edit source]
| Classification | |
|---|---|
| External resources |
- Mediastinitis at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
| Mediastinitis Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
