eMedicine Specialties > Thoracic Surgery > Miscellaneous

Tracheomalacia: Multimedia

Author: Daniel S Schwartz, MD, FACS, Assistant Clinical Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Chief of Thoracic Surgery, Huntington Hospital
Coauthor(s): Sat Sharma, MD, FRCPC, Professor and Head, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba; Site Director, Respiratory Medicine, St Boniface General Hospital
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Aug 6, 2009

Multimedia

Lateral chest radiograph shows excessive tracheal...
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Media file 1: Lateral chest radiograph shows excessive tracheal narrowing.
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Lateral chest radiograph shows excessive tracheal...

Lateral chest radiograph shows excessive tracheal narrowing.

This shows the trachea during inspiration and exp...
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Media file 2: This shows the trachea during inspiration and expiration. Tracheal collapse of more than 50% during expiration is diagnostic of tracheomalacia.
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This shows the trachea during inspiration and exp...

This shows the trachea during inspiration and expiration. Tracheal collapse of more than 50% during expiration is diagnostic of tracheomalacia.

The mechanism of tracheal narrowing is shown here...
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Media file 3: The mechanism of tracheal narrowing is shown here in healthy cases and in cases of tracheomalacia. Adapted from Feist JH, et al. Chest 68:3, Sept, 1975.
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The mechanism of tracheal narrowing is shown here...

The mechanism of tracheal narrowing is shown here in healthy cases and in cases of tracheomalacia. Adapted from Feist JH, et al. Chest 68:3, Sept, 1975.

Healthy trachea is visualized endoscopically.
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Media file 4: Healthy trachea is visualized endoscopically.
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Healthy trachea is visualized endoscopically.

Healthy trachea is visualized endoscopically.

A 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondri...
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Media file 5: A 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondritis presented with inspiratory stridor and respiratory difficulties. The chest radiograph shows narrowing of the distal trachea on bronchoscopy. More than a 50% decrease in tracheal lumen occurred during expiration (see CT images).
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A 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondri...

A 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondritis presented with inspiratory stridor and respiratory difficulties. The chest radiograph shows narrowing of the distal trachea on bronchoscopy. More than a 50% decrease in tracheal lumen occurred during expiration (see CT images).

The CT scan of a 58-year-old woman with a history...
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Media file 6: The CT scan of a 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondritis who presented with inspiratory stridor and respiratory difficulties shows tracheal narrowing of the distal trachea.
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The CT scan of a 58-year-old woman with a history...

The CT scan of a 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondritis who presented with inspiratory stridor and respiratory difficulties shows tracheal narrowing of the distal trachea.

CT image showing tracheal narrowing in a 58-year-...
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Media file 7: CT image showing tracheal narrowing in a 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondritis who presented with inspiratory stridor and respiratory difficulties.
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CT image showing tracheal narrowing in a 58-year-...

CT image showing tracheal narrowing in a 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondritis who presented with inspiratory stridor and respiratory difficulties.

A 3-dimensional reconstruction of CT scan images ...
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Media file 8: A 3-dimensional reconstruction of CT scan images confirms the presence of tracheomalacia in a 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondritis who presented with inspiratory stridor and respiratory difficulties.
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A 3-dimensional reconstruction of CT scan images ...

A 3-dimensional reconstruction of CT scan images confirms the presence of tracheomalacia in a 58-year-old woman with a history of polychondritis who presented with inspiratory stridor and respiratory difficulties.

Patterns of upper airway obstruction are presente...
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Media file 9: Patterns of upper airway obstruction are presented here. Patient A has fixed upper airway obstruction. Patient B has variable extrathoracic obstruction, eg, vocal cord dysfunction. Patient C has variable intrathoracic obstruction, eg tracheomalacia.
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Patterns of upper airway obstruction are presente...

Patterns of upper airway obstruction are presented here. Patient A has fixed upper airway obstruction. Patient B has variable extrathoracic obstruction, eg, vocal cord dysfunction. Patient C has variable intrathoracic obstruction, eg tracheomalacia.

A flow volume loop shows a pattern of variable ex...
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Media file 10: A flow volume loop shows a pattern of variable extrathoracic obstruction. Truncation of the expiratory limb is present. As the pleural pressure exceeds the airway pressure, airway collapse occurs due to flow limitation during expiration and not during inspiration.
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A flow volume loop shows a pattern of variable ex...

A flow volume loop shows a pattern of variable extrathoracic obstruction. Truncation of the expiratory limb is present. As the pleural pressure exceeds the airway pressure, airway collapse occurs due to flow limitation during expiration and not during inspiration.

A flow volume loop shows the classic pattern of f...
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Media file 11: A flow volume loop shows the classic pattern of fixed upper airway obstruction. Truncation of both inspiratory and expiratory limbs is present.
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A flow volume loop shows the classic pattern of f...

A flow volume loop shows the classic pattern of fixed upper airway obstruction. Truncation of both inspiratory and expiratory limbs is present.

More on Tracheomalacia

Overview: Tracheomalacia
Workup: Tracheomalacia
Treatment: Tracheomalacia
Follow-up: Tracheomalacia
Multimedia: Tracheomalacia
References
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References

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  2. Carden KA, Boiselle PM, Waltz DA, Ernst A. Tracheomalacia and tracheobronchomalacia in children and adults: an in-depth review. Chest. Mar 2005;127(3):984-1005. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

tracheomalacia, esophageal atresia, tracheobronchomalacia, bronchomalacia, tracheoesophageal fistula, swallowing, swallowing difficulty, flaccid tracheal cartilage, wide posterior membranous wall, reduced anterior-posterior airway caliber, tracheal collapse, abnormal tracheal cartilage, airway obstruction, abnormally increased compliance of the trachea, percutaneous tracheostomy, aortopexy, GERD, gastroesophageal reflux, intubation complication, extended intubation, chronic intubation, intubation problem, tracheal injury, trachea, relapsing polychondritis, cartilage inflammation, treatment, diagnosis, medications, disorder

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Daniel S Schwartz, MD, FACS, Assistant Clinical Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Chief of Thoracic Surgery, Huntington Hospital
Daniel S Schwartz, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Surgeons, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Sat Sharma, MD, FRCPC, Professor and Head, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba; Site Director, Respiratory Medicine, St Boniface General Hospital
Sat Sharma, MD, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, American Thoracic Society, Canadian Medical Association, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Royal Society of Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and World Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Richard Thurer, MD, B and Donald Carlin Professor of Thoracic Surgical Oncology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami
Richard Thurer, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Thoracic Society, Florida Medical Association, Society of Surgical Oncology, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Shreekanth V Karwande, MBBS, Chair, Professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine and Medical Center
Shreekanth V Karwande, MBBS is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Heart Association, Society of Critical Care Medicine, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Timothy D Rice, MD, Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Timothy D Rice, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Physicians
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Mary C Mancini, MD, PhD, Professor and Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport
Mary C Mancini, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American College of Surgeons, American Surgical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Southern Surgical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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