Mediastinal fibrosis is the least common, but the most severe, late complication of histoplasmosis. It should be differentiated from the many other less-severe mediastinal complications of histoplasmosis, and from other causes of mediastinal fibrosis. Posthistoplasmosis mediastinal fibrosis is characterized by invasive, calcified fibrosis centered on lymph nodes, which, by definition, occludes major vessels or airways.
Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company