Endobronchial lipoma causing unilateral absence of pulmonary perfusion

Endobronchial lipoma is a slowly growing benign neoplasm of the large bronchi, which, if left untreated, has a significant morbidity and mortality. Endobronchial lipoma is still rare, with only 50 reported cases in the English literature, including the following case. This case illustrates the sequela of main-stem occlusion of the airway due to this tumor and, to our knowledge, represents the first reported case of unilateral absence of pulmonary perfusion due to an endobronchial lipoma. Proposed mechanisms for unilateral absence of perfusion due to an endobronchial lipoma are discussed.