Mediastinitis symptoms include difficulty swallowing, fever, cough, or shortness of breath. They may also occur with other symptoms of chest infections, such as pleuritis (inflammation of the lining of the lungs) or pneumonia. They can happen suddenly, or gradually develop over a period of time.
The most common cause of mediastinitis is a tear or perforation in your esophagus. This can happen when you swallow or breathe in a foreign object or when you have surgery to remove part of your esophagus or trachea. Occasionally, it can happen if you have an infection of your neck or oral cavity.
Other causes of mediastinitis are a wide variety of medical conditions and other disorders. They can range from fungal infections to tuberculosis or other diseases that affect the body’s immune system.
A bacterial infection can also cause mediastinitis. The bacteria that cause this infection are typically the same type of bacteria that live in your intestines or mouth. They can be very serious.
Sometimes, the infection can spread from your intestines to your lungs. This is called pulmonary necrotizing mediastinitis. In this condition, your arteries and veins get inflamed and become narrowed or blocked. This can cause a lot of problems, such as heart failure, breathing difficulties, and chest pain.
The infection can also spread from your lungs to your throat, causing soreness and inflammation there. This is called descending necrotizing mediastinitis.
Occasionally, people with this condition develop a blood vessel problem, called a hemorrhage. This is a very serious condition that requires emergency treatment.
You may develop mediastinitis if you have an infection that starts in your intestines, such as a bacterium called Escherichia coli or Streptococcus. It can also happen if you have a bacterial infection that starts in your mouth, such as an infection with Streptococcus or a yeast infection.
Chronic fibrosing mediastinitis is a very serious condition. It is caused by a buildup of extra-cellular fluid and abnormal cells in the mediastinal lymph nodes. This condition usually gets worse and can cause lung damage or death if left untreated.
The main symptom of mediastinitis is shortness of breath, but other signs and symptoms are important to know about. The doctor may need to take a chest x-ray or a computed tomography scan to make the diagnosis of mediastinitis.
A X-ray of your chest may show signs of mediastinitis, such as air in the area or a widened space in your chest. A CT scan can help the doctor see the soft tissues in your mediastinum and the blood vessels and veins that are surrounded by them.
You may have a bacterial infection that spreads from your intestines to your arteries and veins. This is called a hemorrhage. It is a very serious condition that requires emergency medical treatment.
Your doctor may also need to take a chest x-ray to look at the area where the bowel and stomach meet your esophagus. This exam can show an enlarged esophagus and fluid in the lungs, which can indicate that the tissue is leaking into the mediastinum.
