[Intradiaphragmatic bronchopulmonary sequestration: a case report and review]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Congenital Malformations
• Thoracic Surgery

Background:

• Bronchopulmonary sequestration (BPS) is a rare congenital malformation involving nonfunctioning lung tissue disconnected from the tracheobronchial tree.
• It is classified as intralobar or extralobar, with extralobar BPS accounting for 25% of cases.
• Intra-diaphragmatic extralobar BPS is exceptionally rare, representing only 1% of extralobar cases, and literature on its diagnosis and treatment is scarce.

Observation:

• A newborn presented with an antenatal diagnosis of an abdominal mass, initially suspected as neuroblastoma via ultrasound and MRI.
• Postnatal CT suggested intra-diaphragmatic bronchopulmonary sequestration but could not definitively exclude neuroblastoma.
• Surgical exploration via laparoscopy and thoracoscopy revealed the anomaly located between the thoracic and abdominal cavities.

Findings:

• The case confirmed intra-diaphragmatic bronchopulmonary sequestration in a newborn.
• The diagnostic process involved a combination of advanced imaging techniques (ultrasound, MRI, CT) and surgical interventions.
• Successful surgical management was achieved through a combined thoraco-abdominal approach.

Implications:

• This case highlights the diagnostic and surgical complexities associated with intra-diaphragmatic bronchopulmonary sequestration.
• It contributes valuable insights to the limited international literature on this rare condition.
• The successful management underscores the importance of multidisciplinary approaches in pediatric surgical cases.