Case Reports in Pulmonology (Jan 2021)
Tracheobronchoplasty and Diaphragmatic Plication under VV ECMO for Combined ECAC and Diaphragmatic Paralysis
Abstract
The coexistence of expiratory central airway collapse and diaphragmatic paralysis presents a diagnostic and treatment challenge. Both entities are underrecognized causes of dyspnea, cough, sputum production, and orthopnea. Optimal treatment must be individualized and is best achieved by a multidisciplinary team. We present a case of a patient with profound functional impairment from dyspnea and hypoxemia due to expiratory central airway collapse, complicated by bronchiectasis from recurrent respiratory infections, and diaphragmatic paralysis.