Mediastinal bronchogenic cyst manifesting as a catastrophic myocardial infarction

• Published in: The Annals of thoracic surgery Vol. 67; no. 6; pp. 1789 - 1791
• Main Authors: Kennebeck, Gregory A, Wong, Andrew K, Berry, William R, Higgins, John P, Manubens, Sergio M
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.06.1999; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchogenic Cyst - diagnosis; Coronary Artery Bypass; Fatal Outcome; Humans; Male; Mediastinal Diseases - diagnosis; Medical sciences; Myocardial Infarction - diagnosis; Myocardial Infarction - surgery; Pneumology; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases; Human; Compression; Infarct; Pathophysiology; Mediastinum disease; Bronchogenic cyst; Mediastinum; Cardiovascular disease; Left coronary artery; Coronary heart disease; Congenital disease; Myocardial disease; Case study; Myocardium; Complication; Severity score
• ISSN: 0003-4975; 1552-6259
• DOI: 10.1016/S0003-4975(99)00340-9

Congenital bronchogenic cysts of the lung and mediastinum develop from the ventral foregut during embryogenesis. These cysts are often incidental radiologic findings in adults, but patients can be seen with symptoms of chest pain, cough, dyspnea, or any combination of these. Acute presentations are unusual and have rarely been reported. We present the unique case of a 36-year-old man seen with an acute coronary syndrome and sudden hemodynamic collapse. The patient sustained a massive and ultimately fatal myocardial infarction, compression of the left main coronary artery by a bronchogenic cyst was demonstrated at postmortem examination. If detected, bronchogenic cysts should be surgically excised to limit associated morbidity and mortality.