Unusual pairing: Concurrent spontaneous lung hernia and expiratory dynamic airway collapse in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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.