[Surgical indications in bronchopulmonary malformations in childhood]

Especially in childhood, the diagnosis of bronchopulmonary malformations should be carried out to such an extent as to enable an appraisal of the probable further development of symptoms. If increasing complications and secondary damage are impending, there should be no hesitation in having surgical treatment carried out by an experienced thorax surgeon even in early childhood, if possible before an absolutely life-threatening situation is present. Without exception, there were no complications in the postoperative courses, and the good development of symptom-free children with normalized lung function document the rational justification for thorax surgery in various bronchopulmonary malformations.