Primary mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the trachea in a child

Abstract

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the trachea is a rare tumour, especially in the paediatric population. We report the case of a 9-year-old boy with mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the trachea that was preoperatively diagnosed as an intraluminal polypoid mass arising from the trachea and extending into the right main bronchus. A complete resection of the tumour with reconstruction and end-to-end anastomosis of the trachea was performed. The patient is now, 24 months after surgery, free of disease.

Unique application of awake tracheoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound in the management of tracheal mucoepidermoid carcinoma

“…Review of case reports of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the trachea or bronchi in all ages suggests that definitive treatment is surgical resection . In this patient, we demonstrated that operative planning of definitive resection can be augmented with high‐frequency radial‐probe endobronchial ultrasound, which has a resolution approaching 100 microns and can distinguish the multilayer structure of the tracheobronchial wall.…”

“…Diagnosis of tracheal mucoepidermoid carcinoma remains a challenge, and review of the literature suggests that there is a delay of several months between symptom onset and tumor identification. Most often, initial symptoms are attributed to asthma, and further radiographic and endoscopic workup is only initiated after lack of response to inhaler therapy …”

“…Esophageal ultrasound was utilized in 1 case to evaluate for esophageal invasion. Similarly, reported surveillance procedures vary widely, ranging from CT scanning every 6 months to annual bronchoscopy . Given the generally favorable prognosis associated with complete tumor resection in tracheal mucoepidermoid carcinoma, we believe that the high accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound warrants its standardized use in identifying tumor extent.…”

“…Primary tracheal mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a rare malignancy with few reported pediatric cases. The tumor is often identified only after patients present with acute respiratory distress after months of misdiagnosis and failed β‐agonist therapy . In this report, we describe the diagnostic, anesthetic, and surgical management of a patient with mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the distal trachea.…”

Primary mucoepidermoid carcinoma at the carina of trachea presenting with wheezing in an asthmatic child mimicking an attack of asthma

“…Less than 10 children with tracheal MEC have been reported in literature. [ 3 – 8 ] This article describes a 12-year-old boy with wheezing and a history of asthma who was finally diagnosed with MEC at the carina of trachea after an initial misdiagnosis of asthma. To our knowledge, this is the first case of tracheal tumor with coexisting asthma.…”