Pulmonary Sequestrations: Issues Related to Diagnosis, Possible Complications, and Comorbidities

Aim: Bronchopulmonary sequestrations are a rare congenital anomaly. Although they may remain asymptomatic, complications such as intrapulmonary hematoma, hemothorax, and aspergilloma may occur, or they may undergo malignant transformation to become a carcinoid tumor, adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, sarcoma, or pulmonary blastoma. Other congenital anomalies may also be associated with bronchopulmonary sequestrations. Our study aimed to emphasize the difficulties in diagnosis, accompanying congenital anomalies, and possible complications. Material and Method: We retrospectively evaluated data obtained from 19 patients with bronchopulmonary sequestration who underwent surgery in our clinic between 2003 and 2015. Results: Lesions were located on the left side in 16 cases and on the right side in three cases, and 15 cases were intralobar, while four were extralobar. One patient had empyema and pneumothorax, one patient had hemoptysis, two patients had pleural effusion, and two had recurrent pneumonia during admission. A patient with intralobar sequestration had a coexistent 4 cm diameter arachnoid cyst in the right middle cranial fossa. Multiple tumorlet areas and carcinoid tumors were postoperatively determined in an extralobar sequestration case. Postoperatively, one patient had chylothorax and one had transudate pleural effusion. The average length of stay in the hospital was 7.9 (3-26) days, and there was no mortality. Discussion: The possibility of complications and the risk of malignant transformation in patients with bronchopulmonary sequestration mean that the decision regarding surgical resection should not be delayed, and attention should be paid to concomitant congenital abnormalities