[Lung operations in dyspneic newborn infants].

Thirteen newborns with congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation and six with congenital lobar emphysema were operated on between 1970 en 1988. Eighteen children had more or less severe dyspnoea and (or) tachypnoea, one child presented with respiratory tract infection. The diagnosis could be made on the chest X-ray in most instances. However, diagnostic problems arose in the differentiation between congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation and congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Four times a laparotomy was done for presumed diaphragmatic hernia followed by thoracic surgery in the same session. In two children barium contrast studies of the gastrointestinal tract were done to exclude diaphragmatic hernia. Treatment consisted of lobectomy in 15 cases and segmental resection in four. Histological examination confirmed the clinical diagnosis in all instances. The results of the operations were excellent in all patients. No short- or long-term complications occurred.