Bronchopulmonary Sequestration
Overview
Bronchopulmonary sequestration occurs when a baby is born with an extra piece of pulmonary (lung) tissue. This rare condition is also called pulmonary sequestration. This extra tissue can appear next to a lung (extralobar) or inside a lung (intralobar). About three-fourths of all bronchopulmonary sequestrations are located inside one of the lungs.
The extra piece of lung tissue is made of cysts (sacs of fluid or air). The excess tissue is not needed for the lung to function properly. If the bronchopulmonary sequestration is large or inside the lung, the heart will need to work harder than usual to pump blood to the unneeded, extra lung tissue. Unless removed, large bronchopulmonary sequestrations can lead to health problems, including difficulty breathing, infection or heart failure. If the bronchopulmonary sequestration is small or outside the lung, removing it is not always necessary.
Symptoms of Bronchopulmonary Sequestration
Your OB/GYN will see the extra lung tissue on a prenatal (pregnancy) ultrasound. In some cases, the extra tissue can push the baby’s heart out of its usual position. This unusual positioning can also be seen on an ultrasound.
Babies with bronchopulmonary sequestration may also experience excess fluid buildup during development inside their mother’s womb. This extra fluid buildup, called fetal hydrops, can occur in the baby’s abdomen (belly), lung, scalp or skin. If your baby has fetal hydrops, you may need to visit your obstetrician (pregnancy doctor) more often for frequent prenatal (pregnancy) ultrasounds.
When to see a doctor
If your OB/GYN notices anything out of the ordinary, such as extra lung tissue, on your prenatal ultrasound, they will refer you to a high-risk pregnancy doctor. This doctor will give you more information about your baby’s health and provide more frequent and specialized prenatal ultrasounds.
Causes of Bronchopulmonary Sequestration
This condition occurs during a baby’s development inside their mother, and experts don’t know what causes bronchopulmonary sequestration. This condition does not appear to run in families.
Who’s at risk
There are no known risk factors for this condition.
Diagnosis of Bronchopulmonary Sequestration
Your OB/GYN will typically diagnose bronchopulmonary sequestration (extra tissue on or in the lung) during an ultrasound before your baby is born. If your baby has this condition, you will likely need to undergo more frequent prenatal ultrasounds to monitor the tissue. Sometimes, the extra lung tissue shrinks during pregnancy.
Treatments for Bronchopulmonary Sequestration
If your baby has bronchopulmonary sequestration without any other health issues, your pregnancy will likely proceed normally, and you will deliver the baby at or around 40 weeks pregnant.
If your baby has an intralobar (inside a lung) bronchopulmonary sequestration or a large extralobar (next to a lung) pulmonary sequestration, they may need surgery soon after birth to remove the unnecessary lung tissue. Your baby will likely spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), so they can be monitored and undergo appropriate testing to determine if surgery is necessary.
During surgery, your baby will be under general anesthesia (fully asleep). Your baby’s surgeon will make an incision (cut) in your baby’s chest to remove the extra lung tissue. The cut will then be closed with stitches and covered with a bandage until it heals. Your baby will typically stay in the NICU for several days following the surgery for close monitoring. They may have a tube placed in their chest, which will be removed a few days after surgery. Most babies who have surgery recover fully and have normal lung function for the rest of their lives.
If your baby has a smaller pulmonary sequestration that is not causing breathing problems, sometimes surgery can wait until the child is 2 or 3 years old. Some extralobar bronchopulmonary sequestrations will not require surgery.
Contact Us
If you suspect that your child may have Bronchopulmonary Sequestration, make an appointment with an Orlando Health pediatrician today so your child can start on the road to improved health.
