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Surgery for Mediastinal Disease in the Elderly

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Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Elderly

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Abstract

Mediastinal masses present throughout the decades of life but certainly occur with relative frequency in the older population. Furthermore, with the increasing ­frequency of obtaining pulmonary embolism chest CT scans, there are more incidentally discovered mediastinal abnormalities that require investigation. Relatively common ­conditions encountered include substernal and intrathoracic goiters, anterior mediastinal masses suspicious for lymphoma, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, thymomas, and ­posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors. Mediastinal cysts-pericardial, bronchogenic, and esophageal duplication are all uncommon in the elderly, rarely require any treatment in the elderly population and so will not be discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, 32 Fruit Street, Blake 1570, Boston, MA, 02114-2698, USA

    Cameron D. Wright

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  1. Cameron D. Wright
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Correspondence to Cameron D. Wright .

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  1. , Department of Thoracic Surgery, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, 1000 East Mountain Drive, Wilkes-Barre, 18711, Pennsylvania, USA

    Mark R. Katlic

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Wright, C.D. (2011). Surgery for Mediastinal Disease in the Elderly. In: Katlic, M. (eds) Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Elderly. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0892-6_47

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0892-6_47

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