The finding of an undiagnosed long segment tracheal stenosis in a cyanotic child undergoing an arterial switch operation and VSD closure

Abstract

This report details the case of a 2-month-old baby boy with known cyanotic congenital heart disease (double outlet right ventricle with subpulmonary ventricular septal defect, VSD) in whom tracheal stenosis was undetected, being found later on failed intubation while undergoing anaesthesia for an arterial switch operation and VSD closure. As a result, the cardiac surgery was postponed. Such an association between congenital heart disease and tracheal stenosis has been reported but remains exceptionally rare. The baby subsequently underwent a slide tracheoplasty the next day and had major cardiac surgery a few days later. He was discharged approximately 3 weeks later after spending 8 days on the cardiac intensive care unit.

Outcome of congenital tracheal stenosis in children over two decades in a national cardiothoracic surgical unit

“…As reported in several previous studies, significant cardiac defects can be corrected by the same surgical procedure, the most common association being pulmonary arterial sling. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Some centres have even undertaken repair of congenital tracheal stenosis in the setting of a single lung. 19,20 We advocate a single national centre for operating on these children given the complexity of the airway and often coexistent cardiac defects.…”