Pulmonary artery band migration producing endobronchial obstruction

Pulmonary artery banding is used in infants to temporarily control excessive pulmonary blood flow. There are reports of band migration including intact bands eroding through the pulmonary artery. The patient presented here had bronchiectasis and eventual destruction of his right middle and lower lobes 5 years after pulmonary artery banding and subsequent definitive cardiac corrective surgery. After undergoing a right middle and lower lobectomy, recurring postoperative respiratory distress prompted repeat bronchoscopy where the original pulmonary artery band was identified and removed. It is hypothesized that this band migrated through the pulmonary artery and into the tracheobronchial tree where it led to obstruction and subsequent destruction of the right middle and lower lobes. Awareness of this potential complication is important for pediatric surgeons who so often care for patients with a past history of cardiac surgery.