Pulmonary resections in children.

Abstract

To Editor .—I read with interest article by Williams et al regarding pulmonary resections in children (Archives112:481-483, 1977). I noted that one of their infants had Swyer-James syndrome and that in discussion following article, Dr Williams commented that this syndrome is the situation of a unilateral hyperlucent lung syndrome in association with congenital absence of pulmonary artery. In fact, congenital absence of pulmonary artery is one of differential diagnoses in unilateral hyperlucent lung syndrome in children but is not underlying basis for this particular syndrome. This syndrome was initially described by Swyer and James 1 who documented case history of a 6-year-old boy with recurrent lower respiratory tract infection and a hypovascular lung. Other synonyms applied to this disorder include Macleod's syndrome, unilateral emphysema, unilateral lung transradiency, and unilateral hyperlucent lung. This syndrome usually has its origins in