Anomalous systemic arterial supply to the left lower lung lobe: A case report

Large series about pulmonary sequestration from a single institute are rare in the literature. In this study, we aimed to evaluate diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of pulmonary sequestration in a single institute. Records of patients with pulmonary sequestration between January 1982 and January 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. Age, sex, symptoms, diagnostic procedures, operative findings, operative techniques, postoperative complications, and follow-up results were evaluated. Twenty-seven patients, 17 male and 10 female, with an average age of 23.3 were operated on for pulmonary sequestration. Twenty patients had preoperative symptoms including recurrent pneumonia attacks, chest pain, hemoptysis, and shortness of breath. Chest radiography, thoracic computed tomography, aortography, magnetic resonance imaging, and bronchoscopy were used as diagnostic methods. Of the cases, 19 (70%) were intralobar pulmonary sequestration and 8 (30%) were extralobar pulmonary sequestration. Surgical procedures were lower lobectomy in 18 and segmentectomy in 1 of the patients with intralobar pulmonary sequestration and simple mass excision in all of those with extralobar pulmonary sequestration. Postoperative histopathologic examinations excluded any other alternative diagnosis. Furthermore, it detected an aspergilloma ball in 1 of the intralobar pulmonary sequestration specimens. Two patients had a postoperative complication (prolonged air leak in 1 patient and empyema in the other). During the follow-up period (mean 2.3 years), none of the patients presented a problem. No mortality was encountered. Owing to the potentially severe complications they can cause, pulmonary sequestrations should be removed whenever they are diagnosed. Since careful dissection provides sufficient surgical comfort, preoperative identification of the aberrant vessels is not a rule for the success of the operation.

The pulmonary sequestration spectrum and related congenital lung anomalies present an extremely complex and varied group of bronchopulmonary-vascular malformations. Previous attempts at nomenclature and classification have proved inadequate. In this article we present a classification of the newly named pulmonary malinosculation spectrum, which includes all congenital lung anomalies where there is abnormal connection (that is, malinosculation) of one or more of the four major components of lung tissue--namely, tracheobronchial airway, lung parenchyma, arterial supply, and venous drainage, which in various combinations make up these lesions. We feel that this simple descriptive approach will improve our understanding and management of these complicated lesions and this is supported by the clinical experience we report in the next article.

Anomalous arterial supply to the normal basal segments of the lower lobe without sequestration is a rare congenital abnormality, and whether it belongs to the broad spectrum of sequestration disorders remains controversial. The cases of all 4 patients who were treated surgically by us were reviewed together with 8 previously reported cases. The anomalous artery originated from the descending thoracic aorta, distributed to the basal segments of the left lower lobe, and drained to a normal inferior pulmonary vein in each case. The anomalous artery was thick and elastic walled. From the review of all 12 cases, male gender, left side, descending thoracic aorta as the aberrant arterial origin, absence of pulmonary blood flow to the basal segments, and normal pulmonary venous drainage were predominant. Despite some differences, the findings seemed closely related to intralobar sequestration. Surgical treatments were lung resection, anastomosis, and ligation of the anomalous artery. This anomaly is probably one type of sequestration complex. Both aortic and pulmonary arterial angiographic studies are needed to plan the definitive surgical procedure.