Expiratory dynamic airway collapse (EDAC) and lung herniation are individually recognized complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but their coexistence is rarely reported. We describe a 66-year-old woman with long-standing COPD in whom non-contrast thoracic computed tomography (CT) demonstrated marked expiratory collapse of the posterior tracheal wall consistent with EDAC, along with a spontaneous intercostal lung herniation. This case highlights the importance of systematic airway and chest-wall evaluation on CT, particularly when symptoms are disproportionate to routine imaging findings.
Soundararajan et al. (Fri,) studied this question.