Mediastinoscopy: Still the Gold Standard 2nd International Biannual Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery Summit Shrager, J. B. ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC. 2010: S2084–S2089

Abstract

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS-TBNA) is emerging as an alternative to mediastinoscopy for mediastinal lymph node evaluation in non-small cell lung cancer. It remains controversial whether EBUS-TBNA is as accurate as mediastinoscopy. Sensitivity appears similar to mediastinoscopy with enlarged nodes, but lower with normal-sized nodes. The false negative rate appears higher than with mediastinoscopy, so nonmalignant EBUS results may be unreliable. Two flawed studies examining costs identify a very small cost benefit to EBUS, which we will question herein. There are scenarios in which EBUS is preferable to mediastinoscopy. However, for routine staging of the upper mediastinum in non-small cell lung cancer, the benefits of EBUS over mediastinoscopy remain unproven.

View details for DOI 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2010.02.098

View details for PubMedID 20493986