Minimally invasive surgery for congenital cystic adenomatoid malformations - early experience

The aim of this study is to present our experience with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for congenital cystic adenomatoid malformations (CCAMs).

The medical records of infants under 2 years of age who underwent operation for a CCAM from 2009 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed.

MIS (9 of thoracoscopy and 1 of laparoscopy) was performed for 10 infants (male:female = 7:3) with CCAM. CCAM were discovered prenatally around gestational age of 24.7 weeks. The median gestational age was 38.6 weeks, and the median body weight was 2,817.5 g. None had respiratory distress after birth. The median age at the time of operation was 0.94 years (range: 8 days-1.66 years). Two underwent the operation during the neonatal period; one because of a coexisting large esophageal duplication cyst and the other due to diagnostic uncertainty. While awaiting operation, 5 of CCAM had grown without respiratory symptoms, and 2 infants had experienced pneumonia. The mean operative time was 98 minutes (range: 70-227 minutes), and there were no conversions or perioperative complications. The infants resumed enteral feeding within 2 days and were discharged within 7 days, except for 1 infant who underwent esophageal duplication cyst excision. During the follow-up period, there were no cases of either remnant lesions or respiratory symptoms.

MIS for CCAMs is safe and feasible, with excellent cosmesis and short hospital stays. Increasing experience with various MIS procedures will widen the indications for MIS in lung pathology.