Rupture of an Angiomatous Malformation of the Pleura in a Newborn Infant

Abstract

Introduction Congenital malformations leading to early death in infants are not uncommon. The following case presents a vascular malformation involving the pleura and interlobar fissures covering both lungs. The physiological events following birth which are related to the primary expansion of the lung and the establishment of normal respiratory gas exchange were also responsible for changes in the malformation leading to rupture, hemorrhage, and death. Malformations of endothelial-lined channels in the lung and pleura have been reported. Many have been concealed under the diagnosis of congenital cystic disease of the lung. Others have been analyzed as congenital pulmonary cystic lymphangiectasis. 1,2 Laurence 3 has reviewed the literature and has accepted five cases as congenital pulmonary lymphangiectasis, to which he added three cases of his own. Angioma or angiomatous malformation of the lung has been reported by Schuster, 4 Orzechowski, 5 Taylor and Moore, 6 and Jaffe. 7 These have all