Current operative management of congenital lobar emphysema in children: A report from the Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical presentation and operative outcomes of patients with congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) within a large multicenter research consortium. Methods After central reliance IRB-approval, a retrospective cohort study was performed on all operatively managed lung malformations at eleven participating children's hospitals (2009–2015). Results Fifty-three (10.5%) children with pathology-confirmed CLE were identified among 506 lung malformations. A lung mass was detected prenatally in 13 (24.5%) compared to 331 (73.1%) in non-CLE cases (p  Conclusions Among lung malformations, CLE is associated with several unique features, including a low prenatal detection rate, a predilection for the upper/middle lobes, and infrequent utilization of thoracoscopy. Although respiratory distress at birth is common, CLE often presents clinically in a delayed and more insidious fashion. Level of Evidence Level III.