Atelectasis in children

In children with lower respiratory tract symptoms, the elicited signs are not enough to distinguish common diagnosis like pneumonic consolidation, foreign body aspiration and atelectasis. Radiology and bronchoscopy would identify the true nature of the etiology.

Prospective study.

Thirty five children with both acute and chronic lower respiratory tract symptomatology, were analyzed for clinical and radiological signs of atelectasis.

There were 23 cases in the acute group and 12 in chronic group. Acute group included cases of pneumonia, foreign body aspiration and mucus plug syndrome. Chronic group included cases of congenital heart disease, endobronchial tuberculosis and bronchial stenosis. Clinical recognition of atelectasis on the basis of localized loss of breath sounds and mediastinal shift was seen only in a minority of cases (8/35). The presence of atelectasis in children with pneumonia, missed clinically were diagnosed by the presence of tracheal shift, elevated hemidiaphragm and silhouette sign. In 21 cases, silhouette sign was positive making it an important radiological sign. Twenty one children underwent either diagnostic or/and therapeutic bronchoscopy. Findings included foreign bodies (n = 5), mucus plugs (n = 4), narrowing of main bronchus (n = 4) and inflammatory mucoid secretions and narrowing of lumen (n = 8). There were no major complications.

The diagnosis of atelectasis in children may pose difficulties and there is a need to have a high index of suspicion to exclude atelectasis in children with either acute or chronic respiratory tract symptomatology.