Successful extracardiac total cavo pulmonary connection (TCPC) after external tracheobronchial stenting for tracheobronchomalacia.

OBJECTIVES

A girl who was diagnosed with cyanotic congenital heart disease in a newborn, showed anoxic spell attacks which we thought were correlated with the congenital heart disease. Although she underwent the palliative operation at 8 months old and her SpO2 was increased, she experienced severe and life-threatening respiratory dysfunction many times after that. After careful examinations, the respiratory complaint was proved to be not only due to cyanotic congenital heart disease but also tracheobronchomalacia.

METHOD: She had undergone the external stenting to the trachea and right bronchus at 1 year old. After that, she was examined by cardiac catheterization and the Fontan-type operation was successful using a tissue-engineered graft at 2 years old.

RESULTS

Her post-operative course was uneventful and she was discharged.

CONCLUSION

It is very important to remember the possible existence of tracheobronchomalacia and prevent a life-threatening attack when congenital cardiac patients experience a prolonged respiratory failure or abnormal respiration.