Young Man with Cardiac Arrest Secondary to Undiagnosed Mediastinal Mass: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION

A 20-year-old man with a reported history of asthma presented to the emergency department in cardiac arrest presumed to be caused by respiratory failure.

CASE REPORT

The patient was discovered to have central airway obstruction and concomitant superior vena cava compression caused by a large mediastinal mass-a condition termed mediastinal mass syndrome. While the patient regained spontaneous circulation after endotracheal intubation, he was challenging to ventilate requiring escalating interventions to maintain adequate ventilation.

CONCLUSION

We describe complications of mediastinal mass syndrome and an approach to resuscitation, including ventilator adjustments, patient repositioning, double-lumen endotracheal tubes, specialty consultation, and extracorporeal life support.