A Right Para-Tracheal Mass Extending Into the Anterior Mediastinum: An Anesthetic Management Conundrum

Authors

Andres Bacigalupo Landa
Kritika Krishnamurthy
Howard S Goldman

Publication Date

1-1-2021

Journal

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia

DOI

10.4103/aca.ACA_122_20

PMID

34269275

PMCID

PMC8404602

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

7-9-2021

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Published Open-Access

yes

Keywords

Aged, Airway Obstruction, Anesthesia, General, Anesthetics, Humans, Male, Mediastinum, Trachea, Anterior mediastinum, case report, difficult airway, ECMO, para-tracheal mass

Abstract

The anesthetic management of patients with a mediastinal mass represent a challenge due to the potential for difficult ventilation and intubation, as well as the risk of cardiovascular collapse upon induction of general anesthesia. Different strategies and alternatives have been described. We present the case of a 70-year-old man with a right para-tracheal mass extending into the anterior mediastinum with 90% mid-tracheal lumen obstruction who was successfully managed with venous-venous extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during mass debulking and tracheal stent placement.