Radionuclide imaging study of long-term pulmonary function after lobectomy in children with congenital cystic lung disease.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the long-term pulmonary function after lobectomy for congenital cystic lung disease, in both infants and children, using radionuclide imaging (RI).

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of 93 patients who underwent resection of cystic lung lesions between 1974 and 2001. The results of postoperative lung volume/perfusion scintigraphy at 1 (n = 64), 5 (n = 32), and 10 years (n = 18) after surgery (V1, 5, 10/Q1, 5, 10) and mean transit time (MTT-a marker for air-trapping) at 1, 5, and 10 years after surgery (MTT1, 5, 10) were compared with respect to age at operation, preoperative infection, underlying disease, and type of surgery.

RESULTS

Patients who were younger than 1 year at the time of surgery showed a significantly lower MTT5 (1.09 +/- 0.08) and MTT10 (1.15 +/- 0.11) than patients who were older than 1 year at the time of surgery (MTT5, 1.49 +/- 0.67; MTT10, 1.54 +/- 0.33). The noninfected group had significantly higher Q10 and lower MTT10 values (P < .05) compared to the infected group. No significant differences were observed between patients with single lobe vs multiple lobe resection.

CONCLUSIONS

The optimal age for surgery in patients with congenital cystic lung disease appears to be less than 1 year.