title: Balloon dilatation in management of postoperative airway obstruction due to tracheal bronchus associated with right main bronchial stenosis: emphasizing the role of three-dimensional computed tomography on preoperative evaluation.
abstract: Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) not only allows accurate preoperative delineation of the lesions but also provides precise pathomechanic diagnosis for planning the most effective treatment to avoid respiratory compromise. In a 10-month-old baby girl, who was ventilator-dependent after successful correction of double outlet right ventricle (DORV), flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) revealed the new formation of postoperative airway obstruction over the right main bronchus (RMB) and obstructed right tracheal bronchus (RTB). 3D-CT demonstrated tracheobronchial obstruction (TBO) was caused by the dilated ascending aorta (AAo) and right pulmonary artery (RPA). Sequential treatments including artery pexy of AAo and RPA and balloon dilatation (BD) of the stenotic RTB and RMB had successfully restored the airway patency. The patient was successfully weaned from ventilator 2 days after treatments and has shown no respiratory difficulty thus far. Thus, the impact of preoperative 3D-CT on planning treatment cannot be emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Ming-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yi-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Teng-Fu
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Shu-Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Fong-Lin
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001011:Aorta; D001980:Bronchi / Q000503:physiopathology; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D002404:Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome