Endobronchial stenting for extrinsic compression caused by pulsatile pulmonary artery in a 4-week-old infant

Respiratory compromise secondary to external vascular compression may compl icate the course of infants and neonates undergoing repair of congenital he art disease. Management of such complications usually involves prolonged ve ntilatory support and even additional high-risk surgical procedures. In rec ent years, endobronchial placement of self-expanding stents became a realis tic treatment option, although there is controversy as to which of the many stents available today give the best results. We report the first successf ul endobronchial placement of a self-expanding stent in a 4-week-old infant . This conservative treatment for extrinsic airway compression led to the r apid extubation and recovery of the patient.