Complications in diagnostic mediastinoscopy are between 0, 7 percent and 1,8 per cent. Lesions of the great vessels end letal in most cases. A possibility is reported how to treat lesions of the tracheobronchial system in emergency cases with lyophilised dura and a histoacryl-adhesive for tissue.

The unusual life history of a man (now 24 years old) is reported who, at two years of age, swallowed an alkaline solution which caused severe oesophageal stricture due to scarring. It required feeding by gastrostomy exclusively for 22 years. Reconstruction of the oesophagus was then performed by interposing the colon (splenic flexure). Since secondary malignant degeneration is to be expected in this form of oesophageal stricture, removal of the residual oesophagus is recommended.

Dacron vascular prostheses were preclotted with and without addition of human fibrin stabilizing factor (factor XIII). In our scanning electron microscopic examinations we found amorphous fibrin achieving a three dimensional net structure in the prostheses after addition of factor XIII.