Congenital lung lesions

What are congenital lung lesions?

Abnormal lung tissue, in the form of multiple bubbles (cysts), is frequently found prior to birth by a routine prenatal ultrasound. These are called congenital lung cysts. They are also known as congenital pulmonary airway malformations (CPAM).

How are congenital lung lesions treated?

Very large cysts can be symptomatic and require drainage before birth or emergency removal immediately after delivery. However, most are asymptomatic and don’t require immediate surgery in the neonatal period.

Persistent cystic malformations may become infected, increase in size or increase the likelihood of lung tumors later in life. For these reasons, cystic malformations that don’t go away after several months of observation require surgery for removal.