title: Ten years' experience in surgical treatment of right middle lobe syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study we present the clinical, radiological, pathological, bronchoscopic and surgical results of 40 patients with diagnosis of middle lobe syndrome who were referred to our thoracic surgery unit for surgical intervention in a 10 years period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with obstructive and non-obstructive causes of middle lobe syndrome referred to our thoracic surgery unit. Clinical data were collected from the patients' records in a ten years period. This study evaluates diagnostic approaches and surgical treatments in right middle lobe syndrome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 23 females (57.5%) and 17 males (42.5%) with a mean age of 31.7. Clinical findings were cough 95%, sputum 80% and intermittent hemoptysis in 50% of patients. Middle lobe collapse was seen in CT scan of all patients. Bronchiectasis was the most common pathologic finding (55%). Tuberculosis was not rare and was final pathology in 20% of patients. In three patients ruptured hydatid cyst was final finding. Surgery was done without mortality and with only minor complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lobectomy of right middle lobe is a good therapeutic option in these patients. Due to high prevalence of tuberculosis and hydatid cyst in Middle Eastern countries these two must be considered as causes of middle lobe syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Tracheal Diseases Research Center, National Research institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saviz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pejhan
authors.forename: Farshid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.forename: Shanay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niusha
authors.forename: Behrooz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farzanegan
authors.forename: Kambiz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sheikhy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000209:etiology; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008878:Middle Lobe Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013183:Sputum / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome