Pulmonary sequestration and surgical treatment

Pulmonary sequestration is nonfunctioning, abnormal pulmonary tissue existing inside or outside the visceral pleura. It is not connected to the tracheobronchial tree. In this study, the results of 8 patients, who were diagnosed with pulmonary sequestration and treated during hospitalization in Gülhane Military Medical Academy between 1996 and 2003, were reported. Sex, age, symptoms, diagnostic approach, operative findings, procedures and postoperative outcomes were reviewed. No postoperative complications were seen. In the long-term follow-up all patients were seen to be asymptomatic. We believe surgical resection is mandatory in order to avoid infection and destruction of the normal pulmonary parenchyma even in asymptomatic cases. Furthermore, when infection occurs, major resection such as lobectomy may be necessary rather than segmentectomy or wedge resection, which involves removal of minimal pulmonary parenchyma.