Abstract
Paratracheal air cyst is a relatively rare benign cystic disease which is commonly located at the right side of the trachea at T1 -T3 vertebral levels. We have experienced three patients operated on for esophageal cancer who were diagnosed as having a paratracheal air cyst by preoperative CT scan. In all cases, the air cyst was identified when lymph nodes around the recurrent laryngeal nerve were dissected, so that particular attentions were needed for the dissection technique. If we could not find the presence of the paratracheal air cyst preoperatively and would encounter it without expectation intraoperatively, we might be at a high risk of damaging the cyst because the cyst had such a shape and size as we might fail to differentiate from lymph nodes. In performing surgeries for thoracic esophageal cancers, lymph node dissection around the bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerves is important. We also emphasize the importance to keep the presence of a paratracheal air cyst in mind in the preoperative evaluation for esophageal cancer.
