TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Overview of Benign and Malignant Mediastinal Diseases A1 - Su, Stacey A2 - Sugarbaker, David J. A2 - Bueno, Raphael A2 - Burt, Bryan M. A2 - Groth, Shawn S. A2 - Loor, Gabriel A2 - Wolf, Andrea S. A2 - Williams, Marcia A2 - Adams, Ann Y1 - 2020 N1 - T2 - Sugarbaker’s Adult Chest Surgery, 3e AB - The mediastinum is defined as the space between the lungs. It is bordered by the sternum anteriorly, the thoracic inlet superiorly, the diaphragm inferiorly, and the ribs (Fig. 156-1). Mediastinal masses arise from structures that normally reside in the mediastinum, as well as those that migrate through it during development. The mediastinum is compartmentalized into four major spaces based on anatomic landmarks according to the Shields classification. The superior mediastinum extends from the thoracic inlet to an imaginary line between the angle of Louis and the fourth thoracic vertebral body. The anterior mediastinum spans from the back of the sternum to the front of the ascending aorta and pericardium. The posterior mediastinum is located between the posterior pericardium and the spine; this includes the costovertebral sulci. The middle mediastinum lies between the anterior and posterior mediastinal compartments. These divisions are not precise and become less defined as lesions invade or displace adjacent organs, leading to distorted anatomy. Nevertheless, they provide a framework to classify and understand mediastinal diseases. With knowledge of the patient’s age, location of the lesion, and presence or absence of sentinel signs and symptoms, a reasonable differential diagnosis often can be made. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/29 UR - accesssurgery.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1170416146 ER -