Abstract
Pulmonary sequestration, congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation[CCAM], infantile lobar emphysema[ILE], and bronchogenic cysts are four congenital lesions that show abnormal cystic areas within the lung field in early life. They share similar embryologic and clinical characteristics, Therefore they are sometimes difficult to make differential diagnosis each other, and all require surgical treatment. From 1984 to 1993, 20 patients underwent surgical corrections under these diagnostic categories[10 bronchogenic cyst, 4 pulmonary sequestration, 4 CCAM, and 2 ILE] in the department of thoracic & cardiovascular surgery, Inje University, Pusan Paik Hospital. There were 9 females and 11 males, Ages ranged from 26 days after birth to 69 years. Among them 5 cases of bronchogenic cyst were found out incidentally, but remained all 15 cases were noted as symptomatic cases. Recurrent pulmonary infections, respiratory distress and cough with cystic lesions in chest film were the main characteristics of them. Computed tomography and aortography were available for diagnostic conformation. For all the cases surgical resection were performed: 1 pneumonectomy, 2 bilobectomy, 9 lobectomy, 7 cyst resection and 1 mass[extralobar pulmonary sequestration] resection. All surgical treatments were well tolerated with no physical limitation. There was no operative mortality, and only one postoperative complication[empyema thoracis]. All patients were followed up ranging from 4 months to 9 years. A clinical awareness of these related lesions is important for prompt diagnosis and effective surgical treatment.