Plastic bronchitis after Fontan surgery presenting as recurrent life-threating airway obstruction

Abstract

Plastic bronchitis, a rare but serious clinical condition, is commonly seen after Fontan surgeries in children. It may be a manifestation of suboptimal adaptation to the diversion of systemic blood flow directly into the pulmonary circulation, thereby leading to unfavorable hemodynamics, which causes the formation of bronchial casts. We hereby report a child who had not responded to conventional medical management of the bronchial casts. He was then subjected to cardiac catheterization where balloon dilatation of the Fontan fenestration was done, following which he remained asymptomatic for 3 months of follow-up.

Keywords

• cardiac catheterization
• fontan surgery
• plastic bronchitis