Airway management and transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring for pulmonary artery sling

Pulmonary artery sling is an uncommon vascular anomaly and can be life threatening when it causes tracheal compression. We report on a 14-day-old boy who presented with respiratory distress soon after birth. A series of examinations showed tracheal stenosis due to a pulmonary artery sling. Surgery was performed with the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass. The external compression and intrisic stenosis could not be resolved by vascular surgery because of tracheal malacia and a complete tracheal ring. We recommend cutting extra holes 1 to 2 cm from the distal end of the endotracheal tube for endobronchial intubation. The airway obstruction was resolved successfully with a custom-made endobronchial tube. However, the patient died of pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax induced by barotrauma, on the fourth postoperative day.