1. Traditional Surgical Mediastinoscopy/Thoracoscopy Mediastinoscopy is a surgical procedure that allows physicians to view areas of the chest(including the heart, vessels, lymph nodes, trachea, esophagus, and thymus). An endotracheal (within the trachea) tube is inserted followed by a small incision (cut) in the chest. A mediastinoscope is inserted through the incision to see the organs inside the mediastinum and to collect tissue samples. Mediastinoscopy can be used to detect or stage cancer.