ABSTRACT
Lung hypoplasia is one of the developmental anomalies of the lung parenchyma, in which there is a decrease in the number and size of airways, alveoli and vessels. Here is a case of 36-year-old female with a history of fever, cough with expectoration, dyspnoea, with past history of similar complaints suggestive of recurrent respiratory infections. Chest x ray revealed homogenous opacity in left chest. HRCT thorax set the diagnosis of left pulmonary hypoplasia with compensatory hyperinflation of right lung. Patient was treated conservatively and was advised follow up. Lung hypoplasia majority of the times diagnosed immediately after birth, it is associated with severe respiratory failure and high mortality rate. There are less severe, unilateral forms in which they usually survive with compensatory hyperinflation of the opposite lung and may not be diagnosed till adulthood. Patients usually does not have any symptoms, but patients may present with symptoms suggestive of chronic bronchitis and recurrent lower respiratory tract infections. HRCT thorax helps to differentiate it from other congenital or acquired conditions. Treatment will be conservative, surgical resection is indicated in cases with severe cystic changes and severe symptoms.Lung hypoplasia comes under the spectrum of developmental anomalies of lung, which causes incomplete development of lung tissue with decrease in the total number of lung cells, airways and alveoli, which finally leads to reduction in lung size and weight. It may be unilateral or bilateral and can lead to severe respiratory failure and death immediately after birth, which is one of the common causes of perinatal mortality.1The less severe forms of lung hypoplasia can survive and may not be diagnosed till adulthood, many of the times in asymptomatic patients it is detected as an incidental finding on radiological imaging, or while investigating for recurrent respiratory tract infections. HRCT thorax is the diagnostic tool of choice.2 Here we present a case report of a 36-year-old female patient, with unilateral pulmonary hypoplasia and history of recurrent respiratory tract infections since last 10 years.