title: Endobronchial ultrasound for detection of tracheomalacia from chronic compression by vascular ring.
abstract: A 67-year-old female chronic smoker was evaluated for an asymptomatic right paratracheal mass and the diagnosis of double-arch aorta was made. She returned 2 years later with dyspnoea on exertion, productive cough and wheeze on lying supine. Flow volume curve showed variable intrathoracic airway obstruction, and bronchoscopy revealed extrinsic compression of the trachea by double-arch aorta with destruction of the cartilaginous layer visualized on endobronchial ultrasonography. Endobronchial ultrasonography may be a useful adjunctive tool for the identification of adults at risk of postoperative tracheomalacia where tracheopexy or airway stenting can be performed concurrently or sequentially if surgery is contemplated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. lee.pyng@sgh.com.sg
authors.forename: Pyng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Su-Ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Han-Lim
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Liew
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology