2023 Volume 59 Issue 6 Pages 973-978
Purpose: In congenital cystic lung disease, pectus excavatum is a common complication not only after but also before surgery. In this retrospective study, we aimed to elucidate the effect of pneumonectomy on patients with pectus excavatum.
Methods: We analyzed the medical records of children who underwent anatomical pulmonary resection in our hospital between July 2008 and June 2021. We reviewed their records for the presence or absence of pectus excavatum, and the preoperative and postoperative thoracic space was measured.
Results: Six patients (three males and three females) were included in the study. There were three patients with congenital pulmonary airway malformation, two with pulmonary sequestration, and one with lung abscess; of these six patients, two had pectus excavatum. For surgery, four patients underwent lobectomy, one patient underwent segmental resection, and one patient underwent pulmonary segmentectomy. In both patients who had pectus excavatum complications, sternum elevation was not conducted at the same time. Although no significant differences in postoperative thoracic cavity deformation were observed, the lateral deviation tended to be small and the craniocaudal deformation tended to be large in patients with pectus excavatum. Postoperative chest CT scans showed mild improvements in the sternum in both patients.
Conclusions: Although compensatory growth of the lung on the unaffected side may be difficult to achieve after lung resection in pectus excavatum patients, the sternum tends to improve after resection. A secondary operation should be considered, especially when the volume of the resected lung is small.
