A Clinical Study of Right Middle Lobe Syndrome / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Right middle lobe symdrome is characterized by a spectrum of disease from recurrent atelectasis and pneunomitis to brobchiectasis of the Right middle lobe symdrom. It was first reported gy Grahm describing 12 patients with middle loge atelectasis and bronchiectasis due to enlarged lymph nodes. The incidence of Right middle lobe syndome seems tobe increasing in children, byt there have been only a few studies of right middlelobe syndrome in Korea. METHODS: Twenty-five children with RMLS who had been admitted during the last 10 years were evaluated with particular attention to clinical features, laboratory results, bronchographic findings, and treatment RESULTS: All patients were symptomatic and complained of chronic cough(25), sputum(20), fever(16), dyspnea(3), vomiting(2), and foreign body in the bronchus(2). Most of the patients had recurrent pneumonia 6 patients had Mycoplasma pneumonia, and 6 patients had ashma and allergic disorders. Only 5 out of the 25 patients showed sufficient obstruction on bronchography and 6 patients took computed tomography scans. Chest radiography, bronchography and computed tomography scans were evaluated for review in 25 patients showing consolidation(17), patchy infiltration(14), atelectasis(12), hyperinflation(5), bronchiectasis(2), and air bronchogram(2). Most patients were improved by conservative medical management and only 2 patients had closed thoracostomy. CONCLUSION: These 25 patients who had been diagnosed as Right middle lobe syndrome were improved after 2 week treatment of antibiotics and conservative management and their prognosis were good during the follow-up period.