Intermittent Airway Obstruction and Superior Vena Cava Syndrome in a Patient with an Undiagnosed Mediastinal Mass After Cesarean Delivery

Abstract

In Brief Airway obstruction and cardiovascular collapse may follow the induction of general anesthesia in patients with mediastinal masses. We present a case in which a patient with a diagnosis of an upper gastroin-testinal bleed presented for an emergency cesarean delivery. At the conclusion of surgery, the patient had complete airway obstruction during an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Patients may encounter airway compromise during instrumentation of the esophagus, and the presence of an intrathoracic mass should be included in the differential diagnosis of airway obstruction. IMPLICATIONS: Patients with an undiagnosed chest mass may present for general anesthesia. This case report demonstrates that when airway obstruction occurs during any procedure involving the esophagus, the presence of a chest mass should be considered.