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Mediastinitis classification

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Anthony Gallo, B.S. [2]

Overview

Mediastinitis may be classified according to the onset and duration of symptoms into 2 groups: acute or chronic.[1] Additionally, acute mediastinitis may be classified according to the cause of the disease.[2]

Classification

Mediastinitis may be classified according to the onset and duration of symptoms into 2 groups: acute or chronic. Each form of mediastinitis has a different pathophysiology and underlying etiologies.[1]

Acute

Acute mediastinitis may be classified according to the cause of the disease, which include esophageal perforation, head and neck infections, spread of another infection, and median sternotomy.[2]

Esophageal Perforation

Head and Neck Infection

Spread of Other Infection

Median Sternotomy

Chronic

Chronic mediastinitis may be classified according to the cause, duration, and recurrence of the disease, which include:

Additionally, mediastinitis can be divided into two subcategories: focal or diffuse, which are differentiated by radiological findings.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mediastinitis. Wikipedia (2015) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediastinitis Accessed on September 21, 2015
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mandell GL. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. Churchill Livingstone; 2010.
  3. ↑ Rossi SE, McAdams HP, Rosado-de-Christenson ML, Franks TJ, Galvin JR (2001). “Fibrosing mediastinitis”. Radiographics. 21 (3): 737–57. doi:10.1148/radiographics.21.3.g01ma17737. PMID 11353121.


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