Patient Guide to Testing - Mediastinotomy
6. Mediastinotomy (chamberlain procedure)
This procedure is somewhat similar to the mediastinoscopy but the incision is in a different location. The physician will make a 2 inch incision about 2-3 inches from the chest bone (he will be guided by your CT scan findings). This procedure involves the physician taking a biopsy directly. This procedure will be an outpatient procedure but may involve a hospital stay of 23 hours (depending on the possible need for a chest tube or for pain control). You will need to have general anesthesia and an IV.
Advantages:
Advantages include knowing if the results are positive for cancer the day of the procedure. However, the final pathology report will take up to 3-5 working days.
Side effects:
This procedure involves general anesthesia and there is a small risk of bleeding and infection, like pneumonia. Infection and bleeding at the incision site is also a risk.
What to expect after the procedure:
You will have pain at the incision site for up to 1-2 weeks. You will go home with a small dressing over the incision. You will need to keep the incision site clean and dry for 48 hours, then you may shower. Your sutures are dissolvable so you don't have to worry about having them removed.
What to report to your physician:
- Redness at the incision site
- Drainage of blood or pus from the incision site
- Fever more than 101 degrees
- Progressive swelling at the incision site
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Heart palpitations
