title: Congenital lobar emphysema: a diagnostic challenge and cause of progressive respiratory distress in a 2 month-old infant.
abstract: Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a rare congenital abnormality characterized by over inflation of a pulmonary lobe. It often presents a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. No case has been described in Uganda in the previous 10 years. We describe a case of a 2 months old infant who presented with severe respiratory distress. A diagnosis of congenital left upper lobar emphysema was established on diagnostic imaging. Both his vascular anatomy and the bronchial wall were normal. He improved dramatically after surgery. The SaO2 normalized within 12 hours of Surgery (lobectomy) and the postoperative period was uneventful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Mulago Hospital, P O Box 7051, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Richard I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Idro
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kisembo
authors.forename: Didas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mugisa
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bulamu
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology*