Long-term Outcomes of Children Undergoing Thoracotomy Lung Resection for Congenital Lung Malformations.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the long-term outcomes of children undergoing thoracotomy lung resection for congenital lung malformations in terms of lung function, complications, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 27 children who underwent thoracotomy at Osaka University Hospital (1992-2017) with at least five years of follow-up and postoperative lung function testing after six years of age. We compared the percent predicted vital capacity (%VC), percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (%FEV1), and FEV1 to FVC ratio (FEV1/FVC) as indicators of the lung function. Longitudinal changes in the lung function, pulmonary and musculoskeletal morbidities, and HRQOL were assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory.

RESULTS

%VC and FEV1/FVC remained within the normal range but were significantly lower than the controls; %FEV1 was below the normal range. No significant longitudinal changes in the lung function were observed. Asthma‑like symptoms appeared in 37.0% of the patients and persisted beyond adolescence. Musculoskeletal morbidities occurred in 33.3% of the patients, with five pectus excavatum cases requiring correction. HRQOL did not differ from that of the healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, children undergoing thoracotomy lung resection for congenital lung malformations exhibited a significantly lower lung function than the healthy controls, and these impairments persisted over an extended follow-up period. Long-term complications and a reduced lung function were not reflected in the subjective HRQOL.