J Korean Soc Radiol.  2016 Jul;75(1):68-72. 10.3348/jksr.2016.75.1.68.

Infected Paratracheal Air Cyst: A Case Report

• Kim HJ
• Jou SS
• Kim YT
• Han JK

• KMID: 2327370
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2016.75.1.68

Abstract

An air-filled paratracheal cyst is a common radiological finding. It may be a congenital defect or an acquired lesion. "Acquired paratracheal cyst" is the term given to the acquired abnormalities, which usually arise in adults. They result from a weakness of the tracheal wall, and they may be caused by trauma, infection, high pressure injuries, long lasting tracheostomy, and obstructive tracheal disease. Majority of the paratracheal air cysts are asymptomatic and are discovered incidentally on radiological images. Also, the management is primarily conservative treatment. Here, we report a case of an infected paratracheal air cyst on the right posterolateral wall of the trachea, which developed into an abscess and was visualized on follow-up multidetector computed tomography and was surgically removed due to persistent symptoms.

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Adult
Congenital Abnormalities
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Multidetector Computed Tomography
Trachea
Tracheal Diseases
Tracheostomy

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Infected paratracheal air-cyst. A 53-year-old woman presented with a fever, sore throat, cough, sputum, and right neck pain for the past four days. Chest radiography demonstrates a round, radiolucent right paratracheal lesion (arrow) and right paratracheal stripe thickening.

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  Fig. 2 Contrast-enhanced chest MDCT image obtained three years ago demonstrates an air-filled cystic lesion on the right side of the trachea without fat infiltration. MDCT = multidetector computed tomography

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  Fig. 3 Contrast-enhanced chest MDCT at present. Axial (A) and coronal reformatted (B) images demonstrate an air-filled and fluid-filled cystic lesion on the right side of the trachea, measuring about 2.5 × 2.2 × 1.3 cm in size, with an enhancing thick wall due to infection. MDCT = multidetector computed tomography

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  Fig. 4 A. Microscopically, the excised mass shows a multilocular cystic appearance in the low power view (hematoxylin and eosin, × 12.5). B. The lining cells are ciliated columnar epithelial cells. There is lymphoplasmacytic aggregation in the cystic walls (hematoxylin and eosin, × 200).

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