Association between pectus excavatum and segmental bronchomalacia.

Five children presented with recurrent respiratory illnesses and were noted to have pectus excavatum. In four patients subsequent investigation demonstrated a collapsible segment in the middle third of the left main bronchus, which appeared to lack cartilage support and caused gas trapping in the left lung. The remainder of the bronchial tree was normal. In the remaining child the clinical and physiologic pattern was very similar. In three children there were no other anomalities, but two had congenital heart disease. The association of bronchial anomalies and pectus excavatum may occur more often than suspected.