The surgical approach for descending necrotizing mediastinitis: report of two cases

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is a potentially life-threatening complication that can develop after an oropharyngeal infection. Patients with DNM are usually treated with mediastinal drainage through a cervical or transthoracic approach, as well as by the systemic administration of antibiotics. We report herein the cases of two patients we recently treated for DNM. In the first patient, the DNM was limited to the upper mediastinum, and cervicomediastinal drainage was performed. In the second patient, the mediastinitis spread below the tracheal bifurcation down into the lower mediastinum, and an abscess was drained through a thoracotomy approach. The principles of the surgical approach for DNM are discussed, with a brief review of the literature following these case reports.