Congenital lobar emphysema associated with polysplenia syndrome

Congenital Lobar Emphysema in Infants

Congenital lobar emphysema in infants is a disorder that is detected most often in newborns or young infants. We report here the case of a 4-month-old infant who at two months suddenly presented upper respiratory infections, treated symptomatically, but evolution showed shortness of breath, wheezing, weight deficit. Thoracic ultrasound revealed left upper lobe hyperinflation causing mediastinal displacement to the right, a slightly reduced blood supply at this level, and a lobar emphysema appearance. Bronchoscopy evidenced a thickening in the left bronchial tree, due to left upper lobe emphysema.

Congenital Lobar Emphysema: An Approach of Anesthetic Management

Congenital Lobar Emphysema (CLE) is a medical condition which is quiet rarely seen especially in neonates. The disease is characterized by over inflation of lungs which is produced due to inhibition of escape of inspired air from lungs. This condition usually occurs in infants due to partial obstruction of the bronchus and can be reversed with timely and planned anaesthetic management. Here in, we are presenting a case of an infant who was merely four months of age. CLE was affecting his left upper lobe since birth which was being treated as lobar pneumonia outside at some peripheral health center. The case presented to hospital with the symptoms acute respiratory distress and was taken up for urgent surgical management. Left upper lobectomy was performed which relived his symptoms. Case was discharged from hospital after 10 days of uneventful hospital stay. The case was challenging, as it involved careful and planned anaesthetic management of lung separation as well as prevention of hyperventilation of the un-involved lung.