Congenital unilateral pulmonary malformation misdiagnosed as bronchial foreign body: a review of 14 cases.
CONCLUSIONS
Congenital unilateral pulmonary malformation can easily be misdiagnosed as a bronchial foreign body. Although rigid bronchoscopy helps the proper diagnosis, high risks associated with anesthesia and operative complications may limit its application. However, high-resolution computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional lung reconstruction provide a non-invasive tool to improve the diagnosis of congenital unilateral pulmonary malformation.


OBJECTIVE
To compare clinical manifestations, physical signs, and radiological examinations of congenital unilateral pulmonary malformation and bronchial foreign body, and summarize the characteristics and methods for diagnosis of congenital unilateral pulmonary malformation.


METHODS
Fourteen patients (five males and nine females, aged from 3 months to 14 years) with congenital unilateral pulmonary malformation, who were misdiagnosed or suspected as having bronchial foreign body or bronchial foreign body with pulmonary atelectasis, were analyzed retrospectively. Three typical cases are presented in detail.


RESULTS
All patients were previously misdiagnosed and treated as having pneumonia. From onset to final diagnosis, the longest misdiagnosis time was 10 years, and the shortest was 2 days. Only three patients presented with a history of foreign body inhalation. Six cases were finally diagnosed as having unilateral pulmonary malformation by rigid bronchoscope, five cases by X-ray and high-resolution CT scan, two cases by CT and three-dimensional lung reconstruction, and one case by autopsy. The malformation of left and right lungs was present in five and nine cases, respectively. Among these patients, four patients also had congenital cardiovascular diseases and other malformations, two patients underwent tracheotomy, and one patient died during salvage surgery.
Zhang
Xiao-Tong
XT
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an JiaoTong University, Xi'an, ShanXi, PR China.
Jin
Zhe
Z
Zhang
Qing
Q
Li
Run-Min
RM
Xu
Min
M
Babak
Falahat
F
Anniko
Matti
M
Duan
Maoli
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001980:Bronchi / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D015619:Respiratory System Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis*