J Pediatr Intensive Care 2012; 01(03): 173-177
DOI: 10.3233/PIC-2012-029
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart – New York

Pulmonary artery sling: An uncommon cause of stridor

Filipa Neiva
a   Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal
,
Maria José Oliveria
a   Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal
,
Marta João Silva
a   Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal
,
Milagros Garcia
a   Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal
,
Augusto Ribeiro
a   Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal
,
Aida Sá
b   Pediatric Department, Centro Hospitalar de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
,
Bernhard Frey
c   Department of Intensive Care and Neonatology, University Children’s Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
,
René Prêtre
d   Department of Congenital Cardiovascular Surgery, University Children’s Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations

Subject Editor:
Further Information

Publication History

02 November 2011

18 December 2011

Publication Date:
28 July 2015 (online)

Abstract

Pulmonary artery sling is a rare congenital condition often associated with congenital tracheal stenosis. Untreated pulmonary sling carries a high morbidity and mortality, most of which is due to the airway and other associated anomalies rather than the aberrant artery itself. We report the case of an infant presenting progressive respiratory distress after a viral infection. The workup revealed a left pulmonary sling with concomitant tracheal stenosis. This anomaly was successfully corrected by slide tracheoplasty and left pulmonary artery reinsertion. Conclusion pulmonary artery sling is a rare entity with a nonspecific clinical presentation, a high degree of clinical suspicion is needed in order to obtain the correct diagnosis.