Mediastinitis diagnostic criteria

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

The diagnosis of mediastinitis is based on the CDC criteria, which includes histopathologic evidence, imagining findings, and other positive findings.

The diagnosis of mediastinitis is based on the CDC criteria, which include:^[1]

1. Patient has organisms cultured from mediastinal tissue or fluid obtained during a surgical operation or needle aspiration.
2. Patient has evidence of mediastinitis seen during a surgical operation or histopathologic examination.
3. Patient has at least one of the following signs or symptoms with no other recognized cause:
   • Fever : (>38° C), chest pain, or sternal instability AND at least one of the following:

   • purulent discharge from mediastinal area
   • mediastinal widening on imaging test

4. Patient <1 year of age has at least one of the following signs or symptoms with no other recognized cause:
   • Fever (>38°C), hypothermia (<36.0°C), apnea, bradycardia, or sternal instability AND at least one of the following:

   • purulent discharge from mediastinal area
   • mediastinal widening on imaging test

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