Airway compression by the ascending aorta due to a thin thoracic cage |
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Authors: | Yasuji Terada Ei Nakayama Yasuto Sakaguchi Tomoya Kono Hideki Noda |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nagahama City Hospital, 313 Oinui-cho, Nagahama 526-8580, Japan;(2) Department of Surgery, Nagahama City Hospital, Nagahama, Japan |
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Abstract: | An 89-year-old woman with dyspnea and disturbed consciousness due to hypoventilation was admitted to our hospital. Chest radiography
showed no abnormal shadow, but she was intubated for deteriorated hypoventilation. Bronchoscopy demonstrated obstruction of
the left main bronchus at the carina. Computed tomography (CT) showed neither a mass lesion in the mediastinum nor an aortic
aneurysm, but compression of the airway by the ascending aorta was observed. It was thought that the patient’s thin thoracic
cage was unable to support the weight of the ascending aorta, which consequently compressed the left main bronchus. After
inserting stents into both main bronchi, the patient’s consciousness improved, and respirator support was withdrawn. In aged,
bedridden, thin patients with hypopnea or recurrent airway infection, CT and bronchoscopy should be performed to investigate
airway patency. |
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Keywords: | Airway compression Thoracic cage Nitinol stent Tracheobronchomalacia |
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