Postpneumonectomy syndrome after left pneumonectomy

Postpneumonectomy syndrome, a late complication of pneumonectomy, is second ary to shift of the mediastinum and remaining lung toward the pneumonectomy side, leading to tracheobronchial compression between the vertebral body a nd the aorta or pulmonary artery. Obstructive airway symptoms are usually d ue to tracheobronchial tree compression, however, secondary airway malacia may develop. We report herein a ease of postpneumonectomy syndrome with sec ondary bronchomalacia after left pneumonectomy in a patient with normal med iastinal vascular anatomy, (C) 2001 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.