Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 2005;13:99
© 2005 Asia Publishing EXchange Ltd
IMAGES IN CARDIOTHORACIC MEDICINE AND SURGERY |
Bronchogenic Cyst: An Unusual Cause of Acute Retrosternal Pain
Georgios P Georghiou, MD,
Bernardo A Vidne, MD,
Milton Saute, MD
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
For reprint information contact: Georgios P Georghiou, MD Tel: 972 3 937 6701 Fax: 972 3 924 0762 Email: georgios{at}clalit.org.il, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva 49100, Israel.
A 47-year-old woman was admitted with acute retrosternal pain radiating to the back. The suspected diagnosis was a dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm. Chest radiograph showed a mass superimposed on the aortic arch (Figure 1
). Computed tomography showed a well-defined 7 x 6 x 4 cm left paratracheal mass of low density compressing the trachea anteriorly and the esophagus posteriorly (Figure 2). Complete surgical resection of the mass was performed without complication. Histopathological examination of resected tissue revealed ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium characteristic of a bronchogenic cyst. The postoperative course was uneventful.
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Figure 2. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomographic scan (mediastinal windows) at the level of the aortic arch. Note the left paratracheal bronchogenic cyst causing mediastinal widening (empty arrow) and a mass effect on the airway. The non-enhancing water attenuating cyst is interposed between the aorta (a), esophagus (white arrow), and trachea (arrow head), with a moderately severe compromise of the airway.
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