What is a mediastinal abscess?
A mediastinal abscess is a loculated collection of pus. Major causes of mediastinal abscess include surgery, esophageal perforation, tracheobronchial perforation, spread of infection from a contiguous location, or penetrating trauma. On imaging, one may see a loculated fluid collection that tends to have a thick, enhancing wall and that may contain gas. Acute infection of the mediastinum is often fulminant and life-threatening, and is treated urgently.
