SMALL SERIES OF MEDIASTINITIS CASES ASSISTED AT THE LOURENÇO JORGE DE HOSPITAL MUNICIPAL IN THE LAST 3 YEARS

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.1592822214128

• Palavras-chave: Mediastinitis, mediastinal infection, descending necrotizing mediastinitis

• Keywords: Mediastinitis, mediastinal infection, descending necrotizing mediastinitis

• Abstract:

   Acute mediastinitis is a severe infection of the connective tissue that fills the mediastinal interpleural space and surrounds the mid-thoracic organs. It has, as one of its most serious and often lethal presentations, descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DMN), which is due to the descending dissemination of deep neck infections, infections that can arise as a complication of “banal” odontogenic, pharyngeal and cervicofacial foci”, not including translocation of infection from non-cervical mediastinal regions (lungs, ribs...). It is noteworthy that esophageal perforation and postoperative infections after sternotomy incisions in patients undergoing cardiac surgery more often result in isolated mediastinal abscesses, not being considered MND.