[Treatment of mediastinitis].

The authors work is based on experience in the study of 56 patients with acute mediastinitis of various origin who were treated in the period from 1981 to 1990. There were 33 males and 23 females whose ages ranged from 16 to 65 years, Odontogenous mediastinitis was diagnosed in 23, tonsillogenous in 2, and mediastinitis resulting from injury to the esophagus in 31 patients. Instrumental injuries prevailed.

[Injuries of the heart].

The authors had 53 patients with heart injuries under observation; 52 patients were operated on for vital indications. The heart wound was sutured, the concomitant injuries to other organs were removed, and the pericardial and pleural cavities were drained. Air-tightness of the injured heart muscle was attained in all cases.

[Traumatic injuries and diseases of the diaphragm].

The article analyses experience in diagnosing the pathological condition and treating 125 patients with acute injury to the diaphragm (61 patients) and chronic traumatic diaphragmatic hernias (64 patients). The authors indicate the therapeutic and diagnostic means in this pathological emergency due to the acute trauma of the chest and abdomen or incarceration of the abdomen. The diagnostic errors and their consequences are analysed.