Mediastinitis (inflammation of chest interior)

Chest | Emergency Medicine | Mediastinitis (inflammation of chest interior) (Disease)


Description

Mediastinitis is inflammation of the mediastinum, the area between the lungs. This area contains the heart, the large blood vessels, the windpipe (trachea), the esophagus, the thymus gland, and connective tissues

Mediastinitis is inflammation of the tissues of the mediastinum-average chest. It can be acute or chronic.

Causes and Risk factors

Acute mediastinitis is usually bacterial and due to rupture of organs in the mediastinum. As the infection progresses rapidly, the condition is considered to be severe. Chronic fibrosing mediastinitis caused by an inflammation of the mediastinum, leading to long term growth acellular collagen and fibrous tissue around the chest and main blood vessels. This is a cause, treatment and diagnosis of various acute infectious mediastinitis. Before the development of modern cardiovascular surgery, cases of acute mediastinitis or esophageal perforation original continuous expansion of odontogenic or retropharyngeal infections. In modern practice most cases of acute mediastinitis result from cardiovascular complications or endoscopic interventions.

Other causes include tuberculosis and radiotherapy identifiable. Fibrosing mediastinitis cause problems especially with the constraint of blood vessels and airways in the mediastinum. This can cause complications such as superior vena cava syndrome or pulmonary edema pulmonary vein compression. Treatment for chronic fibrosing mediastinitis is still controversial and may include steroids or surgical decompression of the affected vessels.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Treatment usually involves aggressive intravenous antibiotic therapy and hydration. If fluid collections as an abscess formed, requiring surgical drainage. Chronic mediastinitis is usually a radiological diagnosis is manifested by diffuse fibrosis mediastinal soft tissue. This is usually a result of previous granulomatous disease, especially histoplasmosis. ...