[The congenital lobar emphysema (author's transl)]

The congenital lobar emphysema has no uniform etiology. We can however suppose that malformations especially of the cartilage are of importance. The whole lobe is mostly involved, with predilection of the left upper-lobe. The symptomatology of the congenital lobar emphysema is a manifold one. Striking are respiratory embarrassement with dyspnea and cyanosis. For the diagnosis an X-ray is necessary. Remarkable is a transparent lung in which you can still see an unimportant pattern. For the differential diagnosis et first congenital cysts come in question. By intercurrent infections a sudden severe deterioration can result, also if the cases show a favourable course. The method of choice is a timely operation, necessary is the resection of the affected lobe. This is a report of 17 own observations. In 11 cases we found a congenital lobar emphysema, in 6 cases congenital lung-cysts. We could examine 10 patients till to eleven years from the beginning of the disease. All the children had a normal development, except of insignificant residues.