MEDIASTINAL COMPRESSION SYNDROMES DUE TO IDIOPATHIC FIBROSING MEDIASTINITIS - REPORT OF 3 CASES AND REVIEW ED THE LITERATURE

Fibrosing mediastinitis is the most often observed benign cause of med iastinal compression syndromes, particularly the vena cava superior sy ndrome. We report 3 cases with such compression syndromes (2 x superio r vena cava syndrome, 1 x symptomatic tracheal obstruction) due to fib rosing mediastinitis in which tumor resection led to a relief of sympt oms. The operative procedures performed in our cases and in general as well as conservative treatment modalities reported for this rare dise ase are discussed with respect to our own experience and that of the r ecent publications in the European and American literature.