Infected Paratracheal Air Cyst: A Case Report

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.

Keywords

• paratracheal air cyst
• computed tomography