What are the causes of mediastinitis?

What are the causes of mediastinitis?

Mediastinitis usually results from an infection. It may occur suddenly (acute), or it may develop slowly and get worse over time (chronic). It most often occurs in person who recently had an upper endoscopy or chest surgery. A person may have a tear in their esophagus that causes mediastinitis.

What are the symptoms of mediastinitis?

Common symptoms in patients with mediastinitis include the following:

• History of an upper respiratory tract infection, recent dental infection (common), or thoracic surgery/instrumentation.
• Fever, chills.
• Pleuritic, retrosternal chest pain radiating to the neck or interscapular pain.
• Shortness of breath.
• Cough.
• Sore throat.

Is mediastinitis life threatening?

Mediastinitis is a life-threatening condition that carries an extremely high mortality if recognized late or treated improperly. Although long recognized as a complication of certain infectious diseases, most cases of mediastinitis are associated with cardiac surgery (>300,000 cases per year in the United States).

Is fibrosing mediastinitis a autoimmune disease?

Some forms of fibrosing mediastinitis are associated with autoimmune disorders. Mediastinal fibrosis can lead to obstruction of the hilar components, notably pulmonary veins, arteries, and bronchi. Superior vena caval and esophageal obstruction is often seen in these patients.

How is mediastinitis treated?

Treatment of Mediastinitis Antibiotics are given to treat infection. Sometimes surgery is needed to drain infected fluid from the chest, to repair the tear in the esophagus, or both. There is no treatment for fibrosing mediastinitis.

Why is mediastinitis fatal?

Infectious extension The spread downward is facilitated by gravity, breathing, and negative intrathoracic pressure. It is necrotizing, as the infection is often polymicrobial in etiology with gas-producing organisms. This is the most lethal form of mediastinitis.

How long does it take to recover from mediastinitis?

Therapy is usually prolonged, ranging from weeks to months. One study suggests that 4-6 weeks of therapy is adequate for most patients.

What is fibrosing mediastinitis?

Fibrosing mediastinitis (FM) is a rare disease characterized by dense invasive fibrotic infiltration of the mediastinum (middle portion of the chest, situated between the lungs) and/or hilar regions (areas between the upper and lower lobes of each lung) of the chest causing narrowing or occlusion of important chest …

Can you cure mediastinitis?

Sometimes surgery is needed to drain infected fluid from the chest, to repair the tear in the esophagus, or both. There is no treatment for fibrosing mediastinitis.