Infant intralobar pulmonary sequestration: A case report

Abstract

The current report represents a surgical case of infant intralobar pulmonary sequestration (ILS). A 4-month-old girl was referred to our hospital for further examination concerning cough and fever. Because a chest radiograph showed an infiltration shadow in the left lower lung field, pneumonia was diagnosed. However, the pneumonia resisted treatment, and contrast chest CT (3D-CT angiography) showed an aberrant artery arising from the descending thoracic aorta, running towards the left lower lobe, and ultimately connecting to two anomalous veins which drained into the inferior pulmonary vein. Evaluation by CT revealed ILS in the left lower lobe, and the patient underwent left lower lobectomy at the age of seven months. The diagnosis was verified histologically. We suggest that cases of neonatal or infant ILS accompanied by respiratory distress undergo immediate surgery, while those without respiratory distress are treated with surgery during the infant stage after the careful consideration of postoperative complications, infection risk, and prospects of subsequent healthy lung development. It is our opinion that lobectomy involving the affected area can be considered an appropriate surgical method for the treatment of neonatal or infant patients with ILS.