Congenital lobar emphysema: experience with 21 cases

A retrospective study of all cases (n = 21) of congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) treated at the Royal Hospital, Muscat, from September 1988 to August 1999 was performed. The presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome are reviewed. All 21 patients were nonwhite. Thirteen had left-upper-lobe, 7 right-middle-lobe, and 1 right-upper-lobe involvement. Of the 14 upperlobe cases, 10 had severe symptoms whereas only 2 of the 7 middle-lobe cases had severe symptoms. Mildly symptomatic cases on conservative treatment invariably needed surgery if infected. It is concluded that CLE is not limited to white infants, upper-lobe disease is more severe than middle-lobe disease, and nonoperative measures are likely to be useful in mildly symptomatic cases involving the middle lobe.