Clinical spectrum of pulmonary hamartomas

Pulmonary hamartomas are tumors that occur in the parenchyma or the bronchi. Through the lesions themselves are benign, they may be associated with malignant neoplasms or they may cause obstruction of the bronchi because of their location. Pulmonary hamartomas were resected in 29 patients at the Ochsner Medical Institutions during a 30-year period. Of these patients, 6 had symptoms related to concomitant malignancy and 3 had symptoms resulting from obstruction of the bronchi by the hamartoma. Surgical treatment ranged from enucleation to pneumonectomy. One patient died in the hospital of extensive bronchogenic carcinoma. In 2 others, carcinoma of the lung developed within twelve months after resection of a hamartoma. In this group of patients, 20% had concomitant or subsequent pulmonary lesions. Ten percent of the hamartomas were located in the bronchi, resulting in bronchial obstruction. A surgical approach is indicated for lesions that appear to be pulmonary hamartomas on roentgenograms.