Abstract
We retrospectively reviewed our institutional experience regarding the treatment of bronchogenic cysts. We analyzed 19 patients (6 men, 13 women; mean age: 43.7 years; age range: 15 to 66 years) with bronchogenic cysts diagnosed histopathologically between 1988 and 2009. Five patients had intrapulmonary bronchogenic cysts: two in the right lower lobe, one in the left upper lobe, and two in the left lower lobe. Fourteen patients had mediastinal bronchogenic cysts: two in the anterior mediastinum, ten in the middle mediastinum, and two in the posterior mediastinum. The sizes ranged from 12 to 96 mm (mean: 46.4 mm). Fourteen patients were asymptomatic. Five patients had symptoms because of cyst-related complications (infection or compression). A preoperative diagnosis was made in only 10 patients. A cystectomy was performed for all the mediastinal cysts. A lobectomy (n=1), wedge resection (n=2), or cystectomy (n=2) was performed for the intrapulmonary cysts. Pathologically, 18 patients (94.7%) had cysts containing ciliated columnar epithelium, 4 (21.1%) had cysts containing cartilage, 7 (36.8%) had cysts containing bronchial gland, and 11 (57.9%) had cysts containing smooth muscle. We confirmed that bronchogenic cysts in adults should be resected early.
