Incidental Finding of Bronchopulmonary Sequestration in a 64-Year-Old Female

Bronchopulmonary sequestration is a congenital abnormality of the primitive foregut. In adults, the typical age at presentation is 20-25 years.

A 64-year-old female was referred for evaluation of an 8 × 6-cm right lower lobe cystic lesion. Her medical history was significant for recurrent right lower lobe pneumonia requiring multiple hospitalizations. Her physical examination was significant for crackles at the right lung base. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest with contrast showed cystic changes with thickened septation of the medial segment of the right lower lobe lacking distinct visceral pleura and with arterial supply from the anomalous branch of the thoracic aorta arising near the celiac trunk. Pulmonary angiography confirmed the diagnosis of intralobar pulmonary sequestration. The patient underwent celiac endovascular coil embolization of the anomalous artery to lessen the risk of hemorrhage prior to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) resection of the right lower lobe. She recovered well and was discharged home 1 week after VATS lobectomy. Follow-up CT of the chest 2 months later showed normal postsurgical changes related to right lower lobe lobectomy. The patient remained asymptomatic and resumed her daily activities.

Pulmonary sequestration can present with recurrent pneumonia in late adulthood. Physicians must review any previous imaging studies of the chest to identify the structural abnormality and be cognizant of differential diagnoses such as infected cystic bronchiectasis, bronchogenic cyst, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or cystic adenomatoid malformation that can occur in conjunction with bronchopulmonary sequestration. Pulmonary angiogram is the gold standard to confirm the diagnosis of bronchopulmonary sequestration. Surgical resection is the standard of care.