Esophageal Hematoma During Mediastinal Staging for Lung Cancer
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Subtype
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Sex
- male
What happened, in summary
A 66-year-old former smoker had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in the left upper lobe of the lung. PET-CT showed activity in a mediastinal lymph node, so he was referred for further staging to determine whether the cancer had reached those nodes.
An airway ultrasound procedure identified the enlarged node but could not access it easily. A complementary ultrasound-guided approach through the esophagus was therefore used. After a single needle puncture, an unexpected hematoma formed in the esophageal wall. The procedure was stopped immediately. CT showed thickening of the esophageal wall but no active bleeding.
Upper endoscopy then found a small opening with slow bleeding, which was closed with two clips. He was monitored closely, kept temporarily off oral food and fluids, and then gradually restarted a cold diet. Repeat CT showed no recurrent bleeding or major change in the hematoma. He remained clinically stable and did not develop symptoms from the complication.
After 48 hours of observation, he was discharged, and follow-up found no new complication.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by PMC / PubMed Central. Read the original in full
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