Shortness of breath caused by a tracheal web

Abstract

Tracheal webs are rare anomalies that can be either congenital or acquired due to prolonged or traumatic endotracheal intubation. Patients with tracheal webs present with shortness of breath especially during exertion, stridor, and recurrent chest infections. They are often misdiagnosed and treated as bronchial asthma with only minimal relief of symptoms with bronchodilators. This condition can also present as a cause of difficult endotracheal intubations. CT scans of the chest can be used to screen for airway anomalies; bronchoscopy is both diagnostic and therapeutic. Here we present a 34-year-old woman with a tracheal web who had been on treatment for refractory asthma for many years with only partial relief of her symptoms.

Keywords

• refractory asthma
• tracheal web
• bronchoscopy