[Respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary congenital malformations (author's transl)].

The present report is based on three infants with respiratory distress syndrome due to congenital lobar emphysema in two and cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung in the third. The serious worsening of the respiratory distress in two children prompted a partial pulmonary resection within the first 24 hours of life. A brief description of the clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics of this anomalies is included. Our three patients remain asymptomatic showing a normal development, after a follow-up period of five months in one child and just over two years for the other two. Any neonate showing progressive respiratory distress should have a chest X-ray taken to rule out a lobar emphysema or a severe malformation of the lung leading to abnormal ventilation. The management in this cases should be the immediate resection of the affected pulmonary lobes.