Vascular ring: clinical and physiological assessment of pulmonary function following surgical correction.
Twelve children were evaluated 7.1 years (mean) after surgical repair of a vascular ring causing tracheal compression. Nine patients complained of persistent respiratory symptoms, mostly cough, dyspnea, and/or wheezing. Functional evaluation revealed abnormal spirometry and/or lung volumes in seven subjects. Analysis of maximal expiratory-inspiratory flow-volume loops suggested the presence of residual upper airway obstruction in three patients and peripheral airway obstruction in three others. Eleven patients demonstrated bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine.
D000293:Adolescent; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008450:Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D014109:Total Lung Capacity; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*