Successful Minimally Invasive Emergency Surgery for Descending Necrotising Mediastinitis

Abstract

We present a case of descending necrotising mediastinitis in a healthy young patient, complicated by pneumonia of the right inferior lobe of the lung with parapneumonic effusions. We describe a successful outcome following adequate antibiotics, effective surgical drainage by thoracoscopy and parasternotomy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Key words:

• Hyperbaric oxygenation
• mediastinitis
• pneumonia
• thoracoscopy.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

G. Cammu

Dr. G. Cammu Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Hospital Moorselbaan 164 9300 Aalst, Belgium Tel.: [phone] Fax: [phone]. E-mail: [email protected]