Haemothorax after mediastinoscopy: a word of caution.

Mediastinoscopy is used for the staging of lung cancer and for the diagnosis of mediastinal lesions. It is a valuable diagnostic tool but, in a few cases, it could result in major complications. We describe a simple technique to avoid the development of a major complication--massive haemothorax--after a mediastinoscopy, which should be applied in cases of inadvertent injury of the pleura during the procedure.