Purpose: Extended mediastinal lymphadenectomy is gaining popularity in the treatment of esophageal cancer, but lymph node nomenclature and classification is still not standardized. The normal mediastinal lymph node distribution according to the classification of the Japanese Society for Esophageal Diseases has never been studied.
Methods: We dissected 20 fresh adult cadavers to examine the mediastinal lymph nodes.
Results: We found an unpredictable and inconstant distribution.
Conclusion: Previous papers have evaluated the number and distribution of normal mediastinal lymph nodes, clinically, radiologically, and anatomically, but the results are conflicting and inconsistent.