Esophageal polyp as a posterior mediastinal mass: Intraoperative dynamic airway obstruction requiring emergency tracheostomy

Abstract

Anesthesia in the presence of a mediastinal mass is difficult and challenging as the mass can involve or compress the heart, great vessels, tracheo-bronchial tree and the surrounding structures. We describe a case of severe tracheo-bronchial obstruction requiring emergency tracheostomy during the intraoperative period after an uneventful induction of anesthesia in a patient with a large esophageal polyp presenting as a posterior mediastinal mass.

Keywords

• Intraoperative dynamic airway obstruction
• large esophageal polyp
• posterior mediastinal mass