Bilateral congenital lobar emphysema: A rare cause for respiratory distress in infancy

Abstract

We report a rare case of bilateral congenital lobar emphysema in a 2-month-old male infant who presented with severe respiratory distress leading to respiratory failure. Plain chest X-ray and later high-resolution CT scan of the chest revealed that both the right middle and the left upper lobes were emphysematous. Surgical excision of the affected lobes has been done successfully in two sequential operations of right middle lobectomy followed by left upper lobectomy which resulted in significant improvement of respiratory status. In this report, the presentation, diagnosis, and surgical management of this rare condition are discussed.