Pulmonary and Mediastinal Bronchogenic Cysts: A Clinicopathologic Study of 33 Cases

• Published in: Lung Vol. 186; no. 1; pp. 55 - 61
• Main Authors: Limaïem, Faten, Ayadi-Kaddour, Aïda, Djilani, Habiba, Kilani, Tarek, Mezni, Faouzi El
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01-02-2008; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Bronchogenic Cyst - complications; Bronchogenic Cyst - diagnostic imaging; Bronchogenic Cyst - pathology; Bronchogenic Cyst - surgery; Chest Pain - etiology; Cysts; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Lung Diseases - complications; Lung Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Lung Diseases - pathology; Lung Diseases - surgery; Lungs; Male; Mediastinal Cyst - complications; Mediastinal Cyst - diagnostic imaging; Mediastinal Cyst - pathology; Mediastinal Cyst - surgery; Medical diagnosis; Medical treatment; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Pneumology/Respiratory System; Radiography; Respiratory system; Retrospective Studies; Surgery; Thoracoscopy - adverse effects; Thoracotomy - adverse effects; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Congenital; Bronchogenic cyst; Lung · Mediastinum; Foregut
• ISSN: 0341-2040; 1432-1750
• DOI: 10.1007/s00408-007-9056-4

Bronchogenic cysts are uncommon congenital anomalies of foregut origin and usually located within the mediastinum and the lung. A retrospective study of 33 thoracic bronchogenic cysts was undertaken to detail their clinicopathologic and radiologic features. There were 18 male and 15 female patients between 12 and 77 years of age with a mean age of 41 years. Thirty-one patients (94%) were symptomatic at the time of diagnosis and the chief complaint was chest pain (48.5%). Most of the cysts presented as homogeneous water-density shadows on standard chest radiographs. The location was intrapulmonary in 25 cases and mediastinal in 8 cases. Based on radiologic investigations, preoperative diagnosis of bronchogenic cyst was made in only 11 cases (33.34%). Surgical excision of the cyst was approached via thoracotomy in 32 cases and thoracoscopy in one case. Total excision of the cyst was performed in 31 cases and subtotal resection in 2 cases. Pathologic findings were consistent with bronchogenic cyst in all cases. During the follow-up period, which ranged between 1 month and 51 months, all patients were symptom-free with no evidence of recurrence. Complete surgical resection is recommended for all bronchogenic cysts to establish diagnosis, alleviate symptoms, and prevent complications.