Postpneumonectomy syndrome after left pneumonectomy

Kelly, Rosemary F MD
Hunter, David W MD
Maddaus, Michael A MD

^aSection of General Thoracic Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
^bDepartment of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

^*Address reprint requests to Dr Maddaus, University of Minnesota, Box 207, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455; e-mail: [email protected].

Accepted for publication January 9, 2000.

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 71(2):p 701-703, February 2001. | DOI: 10.1016/S0003-4975(00)01664-7

Postpneumonectomy syndrome, a late complication of pneumonectomy, is secondary to shift of the mediastinum and remaining lung toward the pneumonectomy side, leading to tracheobronchial compression between the vertebral body and the aorta or pulmonary artery. Obstructive airway symptoms are usually due to tracheobronchial tree compression, however, secondary airway malacia may develop. We report herein a case of postpneumonectomy syndrome with secondary bronchomalacia after left pneumonectomy in a patient with normal mediastinal vascular anatomy.