Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tracheal compression due to an elongated aortic arch in patients with congenital heart disease: evaluation using multidetector-row CT

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Pediatric Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

The airway can become obstructed as a result of compression by an elongated aortic arch.

Objective

In this study we evaluated tracheal compression using multidetector-row CT in patients with congenital heart disease and an elongated aortic arch.

Materials and methods

The trachea was measured at the level of the aortic arch in 205 children and young adults and then the severity of tracheal compression was determined by measuring the tracheal diameter ratio (short axis diameter/long axis diameter). Patients were divided as follows: group I (normal aortic arch; n=166), group II (transversely running aortic arch; n=22), and group III (elongated aortic arch; n=17). From the viewpoint of the relationship of the great arteries, group II had D-malposition, and group III had L-malposition.

Results

Age, height, weight and body surface area were significantly correlated with the short and long axis diameter in group I. There was a negative correlation between tracheal diameter ratio and the physical size parameters. The tracheal diameter ratio in group III was 0.50±0.13, which was significantly lower than in groups I and II (P<0.01 and 0.05, respectively).

Conclusion

Even apparently asymptomatic patients with an elongated aortic arch can have tracheal compression. An elongated aortic arch may be a useful predictor of tracheal compression.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bové T, Demanet H, Casimir G et al (2001) Tracheobronchial compression of vascular origin. Review of experience in infants and children. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) 42:663–666

    Google Scholar 

  2. Sebening C, Jakob H, Tochtermann U (2000) Vascular tracheobronchial compression syndromes – experience in surgical treatment and literature review. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 48:164–174

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Yamagishi H, Maeda J, Higuchi M et al (2002) Bronchomalacia associated with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries, and chromosome 22q11.2 deletion. Clin Genet 62:214–219

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. McElhinney DB, Reddy VM, Pian MS et al (1999) Compression of the central airways by a dilated aorta in infants and children with congenital heart disease. Ann Thorac Surg 67:1130–1136

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kim YM, Yoo SJ, Kim TH et al (2001) Tracheal compression by elongated aortic arch in patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries. Pediatr Cardiol 22:471–477

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kim YM, Yoo S-J, Kim WH et al (2002) Bronchial compression by posteriorly displaced ascending aorta in patients with congenital heart disease. Ann Thorac Surg 73:881–886

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Goo HW, Park IS, Ko JK et al (2005) Computed tomography for the diagnosis of congenital heart diseases in pediatric and adult patients. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 21:347–365

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Chen SJ, Shih TT, Liu KL et al (2004) Measurement of tracheal size in children with congenital heart disease by computed tomography. Ann Thorac Surg 77:1216–1221

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Chen SJ, Lee WJ, Wang JK et al (2003) Usefulness of three-dimensional electron beam computed tomography for evaluating tracheobronchial anomalies in children with congenital heart disease. Am J Cardiol 92:483–486

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hayabuchi Y, Mori K, Kitagawa T et al (2007) Polytetrafluoroethylene graft calcification in patients with surgically repaired congenital heart disease using multidetector-row computed tomography. Am Heart J 153:806.e1–e8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Hayabuchi Y, Mori K, Kitagawa T et al (2007) Accurate quantification of pulmonary artery diameter in patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease using multidetector-row computed tomography. Am Heart J 154:783–788

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Lee SL, Cheung YF, Leung MP et al (2002) Airway obstruction in children with congenital heart disease: assessment by flexible bronchoscopy. Pediatr Pulmonol 34:304–311

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Robotin MC, Bruniaux J, Serraf A et al (1996) Unusual forms of tracheobronchial compression in infants with congenital heart disease. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 112:415–423

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lambert V, Sigal-Cinqualbre A, Belli E et al (2005) Preoperative and postoperative evaluation of airways compression in pediatric patients with 3-dimensional multislice computed tomographic scanning: effect on surgical management. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 129:1111–1118

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Thomas KE, Wang B (2008) Age-specific effective doses for pediatric MSCT examinations at a large children’s hospital using DLP conversion coefficients: a simple estimation method. Pediatr Radiol 38:645–656

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Tsai IC, Chen MC, Jan SL et al (2008) Neonatal cardiac multidetector row CT: why and how we do it. Pediatr Radiol 38:438–451

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Griscom NT (1982) Computed tomographic determination of tracheal dimensions in children and adolescents. Radiology 145:361–364

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Tokushima, Kuramoto-cho-3, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan

    Noriko Watanabe, Yasunobu Hayabuchi, Miki Inoue, Miho Sakata, Manal Mohamed Helmy Nabo, Ryuji Nakagawa, Takahiko Saijo & Shoji Kagami

Authors
  1. Noriko Watanabe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yasunobu Hayabuchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Miki Inoue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Miho Sakata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Manal Mohamed Helmy Nabo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ryuji Nakagawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Takahiko Saijo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Shoji Kagami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yasunobu Hayabuchi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Watanabe, N., Hayabuchi, Y., Inoue, M. et al. Tracheal compression due to an elongated aortic arch in patients with congenital heart disease: evaluation using multidetector-row CT. Pediatr Radiol 39, 1048–1053 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-009-1319-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-009-1319-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation