title: Fetal lung growth in laryngeal atresia and tracheal agenesis.
abstract: Three cases of airway obstruction in fetuses born at 21, 32 and 40 weeks gestation are reported. The first had laryngeal atresia, cystic dysplastic kidneys, oligohydramnios and immense fluid-filled lungs. The second had upper tracheal agenesis, a tracheo-oesophageal fistula, a cystic dysplastic horseshoe kidney, oligohydramnios and normal-sized lungs. The third had a pin-hole mucosal tract through an otherwise atretic larynx, normal kidneys, no oligohydramnios and normal-sized lungs. Lung weight:body weight ratios, radial alveolar or radial canalicular counts and point-counting of sections of lungs in cases 1 and 2 show that laryngeal or tracheal obstruction may prevent or reduce the pulmonary hypoplasia associated with renal dysplasia, and in cases 2 and 3, that grossly enlarged, hyperplastic lungs may not be seen unless obstruction is complete.
authors.affiliation: Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Scurry
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Adamson
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Cussen
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007830:Larynx / Q000002:abnormalities*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D014132:Trachea / Q000002:abnormalities*