Vascular compression of the left bronchus in a patient with funnel chest

Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020 Dec;68(12):1555-1557. doi: 10.1007/s11748-020-01341-2. Epub 2020 Mar 24.

Abstract

We present a case of 5 year-old female with funnel chest, by which cardiovascular structures were displaced into the left chest cavity. This caused left bronchial compression by the pulmonary artery and the descending aorta, for which an external stenting was successfully performed. The patient had features suggestive of skeletal dysplasia with tracheobronchial malacia. One possible mechanism of vascular compression could be an association of fragility of the thoracic cavity and inspiratory dyspnea, causing thoracic deformity.

Keywords: External stent; Funnel chest; Pectus excavatum; Vascular compression.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Airway Obstruction / diagnostic imaging
  • Airway Obstruction / etiology
  • Bronchi / abnormalities*
  • Bronchial Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Bronchial Diseases / etiology*
  • Bronchial Diseases / surgery
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Child, Preschool
  • Constriction, Pathologic
  • Female
  • Funnel Chest / complications*
  • Funnel Chest / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Pulmonary Artery / abnormalities*
  • Stents*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed