Congenital Lobar Emphysema in a 17-Day-Old Male Neonate: The Plain Radiographic Features and a Case Report

Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a rare respiratory disorder which allows air to enter the lungs but can’t escape causing over-inflation of the lobes of the lung. This condition (CLE) is commonly detected in the newborn or young infants but some cases are diagnosed in adulthood. Congenital lobar emphysema is a rare congenital malformation with a prevalence of 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 30, 000, and more prevalent in males, with a male to female ratio of about 3:1. This is a 17 day old male neonate that presented with respiratory difficulty and .had a supine chest radiograph that showed an overinflated left lung field more on the upper and middle zones with flattening of the left hemi diaphragm, marked shift of the heart and mediastinum to the right with some degree of loss of volume involving the right lung. We report the radiographic findings of this case due the rare nature of congenital lobar emphysema.

Fatal congenital lobar emphysema in a puerpera: a case report and literature review

Background Congenital lobal emphysema (CLE) is a developmental lung abnormality usually diagnosed in the neonatal period and is rarely observed in adults. Adults with CLE are usually asymptomatic and only a small fraction may present with coughing, recurrent pneumonia and respiratory distress. In imaging studies, the most frequently affected lobe of CLE is the left upper lobe, followed by the right middle lobe. However, multilobar involvement with severe mediastinal shift is extremely rare. Case presentation We report a case of fatal CLE in a 28-year-old puerpera with postpartum respiratory failure. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed emphysema of the right upper, middle and lower lobes resulting in adjacent atelectasis. Hyperinflation of the right upper lobe crossed the midline, leading to a deviation of the mediastinal structure to the left hemithorax and severe compression of the left lung. Conclusions Early and timely diagnosis of CLE with routine follow-up is necessary for patients. CLE, especially with multilobar involvement or mediastinal shift, could be life-threatening and should be promptly and aggressively treated to prevent severe complications.

Association Between Air Pollution and Lung Lobar Emphysema in COPD

The development of emphysema has been linked to air pollution; however, the association of air pollution with the extent of lobar emphysema remains unclear. This study examined the association of particulate matter <2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameters (PM2.5) (≤2.5 μm), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) level of exposure with the presence of emphysema in 86 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exposure to the air pollution estimated using the land-use regression model was associated with lung function, BODE (a body mass index, degree of obstruction, dyspnea severity, and exercise capacity index) quartiles, and emphysema measured as low-attenuation areas on high-resolution CT (HR-CT) lung scans. Using paraseptal emphysema as the reference group, we observed that a 1 ppb increase in O3 was associated with a 1.798-fold increased crude odds ratio of panlobular emphysema (p < 0.05). We observed that PM2.5 was associated with BODE quartiles, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea score, and exercise capacity (all p < 0.05). We found that PM2.5, NO2, and O3 were associated with an increased degree of upper lobe emphysema and lower lobe emphysema (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, we observed that an increase in PM2.5, NO2, and O3 was associated with greater increases in upper lobe emphysema than in lower lobe emphysema. In conclusion, exposure to O3 can be associated with a higher risk of panlobular emphysema than paraseptal emphysema in patients with COPD. Emphysema severity in lung lobes, especially the upper lobes, may be linked to air pollution exposure in COPD.

Surgical cause of respiratory distress in a newborn

Common causes of respiratory distress in a term infant include transient tachypnoea of newborn, sepsis/congenital pneumonia and congenital heart diseases. Surgical causes of distress in a newborn are rare and should be considered when other causes have been ruled out. We report a case of an early term female neonate who developed respiratory distress immediately after birth which was gradually progressive and required respiratory support. On evaluation with chest radiography and CT, a diagnosis of congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) was made. Immediate surgical resection was planned and done on day 8 of life. Post operatively she had no respiratory distress and discharged within a week. Baby is now healthy with normal growth and development. Half of the cases of CLE are diagnosed within the first 6 months of life but very few cases present with respiratory distress since birth. Timely diagnosis and early surgical excision in neonates <2 months improve the outcome, as seen in our case.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely premature infant with congenital lobar emphysema: a case report

Background Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a congenital pulmonary cystic disease, characterized by overinflation of the pulmonary lobe and compression of the surrounding areas. Most patients with symptoms need an urgent surgical intervention. Caution and alertness for CLE is required in cases of local emphysema on chest X-ray images of extremely premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Case presentation Here, we report a case of premature infant with 27 + 4 weeks of gestational age who suddenly presented with severe respiratory distress at 60 days after birth. Chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) indicated emphysema in the middle lobe of the right lung. The diagnosis of CLE was confirmed by histopathological examinations. Conclusions Although extremely premature infants have high-risk factors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia due to their small gestational age, alertness for CLE is necessary if local emphysema is present. Timely pulmonary CT scan and surgical interventions should be performed to avoid the delay of the diagnosis and treatment.

Congenital Lobar Emphysema: Perioperative Evaluation and Management

Background: Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a lung malformation characterized by overdistension and air trapping in the affected lobe. It is one of the causes of neonatal and infantile respiratory distress. This study aimed to evaluate our experience regarding perioperative and surgical management in children with CLE. Methods: A retrospective observational study was done for all CLE patients who underwent surgery at Menoufia University Hospital. Perioperative data collected included demographic, clinical, and radiological findings, as well as operative and postoperative data. Results: We included 30 neonates and infants who suffered from CLE between January 2013 and December 2020; the mean age was 111.43 ± 65.19 days, and 21 were males. All cases presented with respiratory distress; 19 had cyanosis, and 15 had recurrent pneumonia and fever. Plain chest x-ray and computed tomography (CT) revealed emphysema in all cases. Lobectomy was done in all cases; the mean age at surgery was 147.58 ± 81.49 days. Postoperative complications occurred in 5 patients, and 2 of them needed mechanical ventilation. The follow-up duration ranged from 3 months to 1 year (except 1 case lost to follow-up after 3 months), and all patients were doing well. Conclusion: CLE is a rare bronchopulmonary malformation that requires a high index of clinical suspicion, especially in persistent and recurrent infantile respiratory distress. Chest CT is the most useful diagnostic modality. Early management of CLE improves outcome and prevents life-threatening complications. Surgical management is the treatment of choice in our center, without recorded mortality.

Surgical management of congenital lobar emphysema associated with CHD

Congenital lobar emphysema is often associated with CHD in early infancy; however, the surgical strategy for this condition is still controversial. We report three successful cases of emphysematous lung lobectomy before the surgical repair of associated CHD. Aggressive lobectomy preceding cardiac interventions is advised when the management of congenital lobar emphysema is difficult.