A tracheal duplication cyst in an adult: Is it time to call the pediatric surgeon?

Abstract

Tracheal duplication cysts are extremely uncommon, with only a few cases reported in the literature. In some cases, symptoms are ambiguous or absent, making the diagnosis challenging. Due to its rarity, there are no formal guidelines on the management of this congenital malformation. We present the case of a 31-year-old female with chronic neck and chest symptoms secondary to a tracheal duplication cyst that had undergone two prior attempts at resection with persistence of symptoms. Multidisciplinary management by pediatric surgical specialists, careful surgical planning, and neck dissection with recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring allowed for an accurate diagnosis, safe surgery, and relief of symptoms.

Keywords

• Tracheal duplication cyst
• Foregut duplication cyst
• Congenital malformation
• Recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring
• Vascular ring