[A case of a chronic traumatic thoracic aneurysm with compression of left main bronchus at the isthmus].

A case of successfully treated chronic traumatic thoracic aneurysm is reported. A 43-year-old man was admitted suffering from severe respiratory distress. He had a history of a blunt chest trauma in a traffic accident twenty-three years ago. A plain chest film, bronchofiberscopy, chest CT, MRI and angiography revealed a calcified aneurysm with compression of left main bronchus at the isthmus. He was successfully treated by replacement with woven Dacron graft under partial left heart bypass by means of a centrifugal pump. His postoperative course was uneventful. The literature states operative cases demonstrate a significantly higher survival rate compared to the nonoperative cases. Surgical treatment should be strongly considered for potential aortic rupture.