Surgical correction of postpneumonectomy syndrome with adjustable saline implants and transoesophageal echocardiography

Postpneumonectomy syndrome can have a significant clinical impact on a patient. It presents as progressive dyspnoea due to compression of the contralateral bronchus and/or pulmonary veins. Herein, we present a patient who over a 2-year period developed progressive dyspnoea on exertion and eventually also at rest, due to compression of her left mainstem bronchus and her left inferior pulmonary vein. Surgical correction with implantable adjustable saline implants was undertaken to ameliorate her symptoms. Concurrent use of intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography permitted real-time adjustment of the implants. This allowed objective measurement and demonstration of normalization of pulmonary vein velocity, which resulted in complete symptom resolution.