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[Lobar emphysema in children]
Insights
Lobar emphysema, a rare lung anomaly, presents varied symptoms. While surgery is common, one case showed improvement with hospital treatment after parents refused surgery.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Thoracic Surgery
- Congenital Lung Abnormalities
Background:
- Lobar emphysema is a rare congenital lung malformation.
- Clinical presentation ranges from severe dyspnea in infancy to milder symptoms later in life.
- Surgical resection is the conventional management approach.
Observation:
- Two pediatric cases of lobar emphysema are presented.
- Case 1: Right upper lobe emphysema diagnosed at three months, surgically treated.
- Case 2: Left upper lobe emphysema diagnosed at three years; parents declined surgery, opting for conservative management.
Findings:
- Surgical removal was successful in the first case.
- The second case, managed non-surgically, showed resolution of dyspneic symptoms following hospital treatment.
- This suggests non-operative management may be an option in select cases.
Implications:
- Highlights the variable clinical course of lobar emphysema.
- Challenges the universal indication for surgery in all lobar emphysema cases.
- Suggests further investigation into non-surgical management strategies for pediatric lobar emphysema is warranted.
Abstract:
Lobar emphysema is a very rare congenital anomaly of the lungs. The clinical presentation varies from dyspnea which is usually seen during the first six months of life to mild course later during the life. Surgery is the most common way of management. In our two cases the first symptoms appeared at the age of three months and three years, respectively. In the first case emphysema was located in the right upper lobus and was surgically removed. In the second case emphysema was located in the left upper lobus. The parents refused surgery and following hospital treatment the child was without dyspneic symptoms.