LAUSR

Cystic lung disease can be divided into two categories: congenital and acquired. Recognition of congenital lesions prenatally has improved due to prenatal ultrasonography. Acquired lobar emphysema (ALE) is a known complication often associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants. ALE is seen in premature infants who require prolonged mechanical ventilation. Several factors are responsible in the pathogenesis besides prolonged mechanical ventilation; they include early damage of lung parenchyma, pneumothorax, localized bronchomalacia, and airway damage due to suctioning techniques. The clinical implications of emphysema depend on the size of the lesion and degree of remaining lung parenchymal damage. This can cause significant ventilation and perfusion (V/Q) mismatch as the emphysematous lung tissue does not participate in optimal gas exchange and it compresses the remaining lung tissue. Gentle ventilator strategy and/or steroid therapy are temporary in the management and infants may require resection of the abnormal lung tissue to sustain life. Here, we present a case of an extremely preterm infant who developed lobar emphysema requiring lobectomy. 2 | CASE PRESENTATION