Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.  2004 Dec;14(4):342-349.

Analysis of the Etiologies, Radiologic Findings, Bronchoscopic Findings, and Clinical Courses of Right Middle Lobe Syndrome in Children

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Korea. kmaped@smc.samsung.co.kr
  • 2Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Korea.
  • 3Department of Pediatrics, Eulji Hospital, Eulji University, School of Medicine, Korea.
  • 4Department of Pediatrics, Bucheon Hospital, Soonchunhyang University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
Right middle lobe syndrome is defined as chronic atelectasis of the middle lobe of the right lung. The purpose of this study was to analyze the etiologies, radiologic findings, bronchoscopic findings, and clinical manifestations of right middle lobe syndrome in children. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 28 children, who were admitted to the Samsung Medical Center from June 1998 to January 2003. These children had persistent atelectasis in the right middle lobe in plain chest radiography for more than a month. RESULTS: In 28 children, the most common etiology was pneumonia, followed by tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, and asthma. Most of the patients manifested nonspecific respiratory symptoms, such as coughing. The computerized tomography showed various findings including atelectasis, air bronchogram, or bronchietasis. While normal patent airway was found in 50% of the patients by bronchoscopy, narrowing of bronchus, large amount of secretion, and granulation nodules were noted in another half of the patients. In comparison with tuberculosis, atelectasis caused by pneumonia was relived more frequently by bronchoscopic therapeutic intervention (P=0.008), but there was no significant difference between them after approximately 2 years of follow-up. (P=0.232) Final outcomes in patients whose duration of atelectasis was 2 months or less tended to be better than 12 months or more, but it was not statistically significant. (P= 0.067) CONCLUSION: Common causes of right middle lobe syndrome in Korean children are pneumonia and tuberculosis. A high index of suspicion is required for early diagnosis and proper treatment which leading to better outcomes.

Keyword

Right middle lobe syndrome; Pneumonia; Tuberculosis; Asthma; Bronchoscopy; Atelectasis

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Bronchi
Bronchiectasis
Bronchoscopy
Child*
Cough
Early Diagnosis
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Lung
Medical Records
Middle Lobe Syndrome*
Pneumonia
Pulmonary Atelectasis
Radiography
Retrospective Studies
Thorax
Tuberculosis
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