Abstract
A 6-month-old male infant experienced stridor at the age of about 5 months, followed by inspiratory stridor and retractive breathing at the age of 6 months. The infant was referred to our hospital’s Pediatric Department. X-ray of the neck showed a prominent projecting shadow and an asymmetric subglottic narrowing. With the suspicion of subglottic stenosis, the patient was referred to our department for rigid bronchoscopy. Aggravated respiratory condition, significant labored retractive breathing, poor feeding, and decreased oxygen saturation (SpO2) when crying were noted. Emergency rigid bronchoscopy was performed, and a multicystic lesion that developed at the left posterior wall and occupied the lumen was detected in the subglottic space. As airway management was the highest priority, we performed emergency tracheostomy at the same time. Postoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed an enhanced cystic lesion in the wall, and the patient was diagnosed as having a subglottic cyst. Two weeks later, rigid bronchoscopic subtotal resection was performed; a cystic wall that forms in respiratory epithelium cells was histopathologically diagnosed. One month later, rigid bronchoscopy was repeated. Respiratory epithelial regeneration and no recurrence of subglottic cyst formation were noted, and the tracheostomy tube was removed. The patient has had an uneventful course without recurrence for 6 months after the surgery.
