Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Am J Case Rep. 2023 Jan 28;24:e937916. doi: 10.12659/AJCR.937916.
BACKGROUND Tracheocele are rarely encountered air cysts formed due to tracheal wall outpouching through a weak vantage point. The majority are acquired in the adult population and are associated with conditions that weaken the tracheal wall. Most tracheoceles are diagnosed incidentally since many are asymptomatic or present with nonspecific symptoms. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scans are the most common imaging modality for diagnosis of silent tracheal cysts. Tracheocele have been very rarely documented in the trauma setting; therefore, in the setting of multiple body trauma diagnosis can be challenging. CASE REPORT We report a case of an acquired tracheocele after a high-impact blunt thoracic trauma with an admission diagnosis of suspected tracheal perforation. MDCT of the neck and chest demonstrated an irregularly multicystic-shaped air collection at the right posterolateral trachea upon evaluation. Flexible laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy results were unremarkable. CONCLUSIONS Tracheocele are rare and asymptomatic pseudo-diverticulum of the tracheal wall. Many are diagnosed incidentally with imaging studies for other conditions. Nevertheless, in the trauma setting its diagnosis can be challenging and misleading. Consideration of conditions such as tracheocele is important to prevent any unwarranted treatment modalities.
气管憩室是由于气管壁在薄弱部位向外膨出而形成的罕见空气囊肿。大多数气管憩室发生于成年人，与削弱气管壁的疾病有关。大多数气管憩室是偶然诊断出来的，因为许多气管憩室无症状或表现为非特异性症状。多排螺旋 CT（MDCT）扫描是诊断无症状性气管憩室的最常用影像学方法。气管憩室在创伤情况下非常罕见；因此，在多发身体创伤的情况下，诊断具有挑战性。
我们报告了一例高冲击力钝性胸部创伤后获得性气管憩室的病例，入院诊断为疑似气管穿孔。颈部和胸部 MDCT 评估显示，右侧气管后外侧呈不规则多囊状空气积聚。软性喉镜和支气管镜检查结果无明显异常。
气管憩室是罕见的、无症状的气管壁假性憩室。许多是在对其他疾病进行影像学研究时偶然诊断出来的。然而，在创伤情况下，其诊断可能具有挑战性和误导性。考虑到气管憩室等情况对于防止任何不必要的治疗方法很重要。
