Anterior mediastinal masses - A multidisciplinary pathway for safe diagnostic procedures.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to report our multidisciplinary diagnostic approach for patients with anterior mediastinal masses (AMM).

METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with AMM at a tertiary pediatric surgical oncology centre (January 2011-December 2016) was performed. We analyzed data on clinical presentation, mode of tissue diagnosis, anesthetic techniques, and complications.

RESULTS: Of the 44 patients admitted with AMM (median age 11 years, 27 males and 17 females), 22 had respiratory symptoms. Imaging revealed tracheobronchial compression in 26 children. Twenty patients had a lymph node biopsy. Ten patients had image-guided core biopsy of the mediastinal mass, and 2 had mediastinoscopic biopsy of a paratracheal lymph node. One patient with likely recurrence of a relapsed metastatic ethmoid carcinoma did not have a biopsy. The diagnosis was made from alternative tissues, such as pleural fluid in 4 and peripheral blood in 7 patients. Twenty-five anesthetics were assessed, as 14 patients required no or only local anesthesia, and 5 had unavailable anesthetic notes. Eighteen of 25 patients were anesthetized maintaining spontaneous breathing, mostly by means of ketamine sedation. There were no major anesthetic complications.

CONCLUSION: Safe tissue diagnosis of anterior mediastinal masses can be obtained by a personalized multidisciplinary approach. Use of alternative tissues, local anesthesia, and ketamine sedation help minimize the need for general anesthesia, muscle paralysis, and controlled ventilation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV (Case Series with no Comparison Group).