Diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hamartoma

From 1970 to 1997, 67 patients with pulmonary hamartoma were operated on in our hospital. There were 38 men and 29 women with a M/F ratio of 1.3:1. The mean age was 47 years (range 21 to 82 years). The peak incidence was 40 to 60 years. 39% patients had pulmonary symptoms: hemoptysis, cough, phlegm and chest pain. All were solitary. 68.7% tumors were located in right lung and 64.2% in upper or middle lobe. 80.6% hamartomas were less than 3 cm in transverse diameter. On chest films, the opacity was homogeneous in 79.1% cases, heterogeneous in 20.9% and calcifications in 9.0%. The vast majority of shadows were heterogeneous on CT films. Operation is the best treatment for hamartomas. Postoperative mortality was 1.5%. There was none recurrences and canceration during the follow-up (mean 14 years).