Paratracheal air cysts; a rare cause of recurrent hemoptysis

Abstract

Paratracheal air cysts (PTACs) refer to small collections of air, present at the level of the thoracic inlet, adjacent to the trachea. PTACs encompass a variety of pathological entities and are usually encountered incidentally on computed tomography (CT) of the chest. Clinically, most patients remain asymptomatic; while a minority, may be associated with cough, dyspnea and hemoptysis probably as a result of pooled secretions and secondary infections. We report one such case of recurrent hemoptysis in a 30-year-old male, as a result of a right paratracheal air cyst.