Abstract

Objective: To describe our experience with sixteen children treated for pulmonary sequestration at the Children 's Hospital Roberto del Rio, between 2000 and 2012. Method: We reviewed retrospectively the clinical charts of all those patients up to 15 years old, who were treated for pathologically proven pulmonary sequestration in our hospital, between 2000 and 2012. Results: Sixteen patients were recorded, 8 boys and 8 girls that were diagnosed and/or treated between the newborn period and 14 years old. Nine of them had extralobar sequestration and 7 intralobar. The diagnosis was suspected for persisting pneumonia in 44%, neonatal respiratory distress in 25%, prenatal ultrasound in 19%, and recurrent pneumonia in 12%. Seventy-five percent of sequestrations were located in the left lower lobe, 19% in the right lower lobe and 6% in the right upper lobe and all of them were operated via thoracotomy. Fifty-six percent underwent surgery before one year of age (31.5% before 2 weeks of life) and 69% of patients did well postoperatively. Postoperative atelectasis were detected in 12.5%, bronchopleural fistula in 12.5% and residual pneumothorax in 6%. The average hospital stay was 9 days and no mortality was registered. Conclusions: Our experience is similar to the previously reported series and emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis in the treatment of pulmonary sequestration in children.