Congenital and developmental diseases

Abstract

The pathology of infectious diseases of the lung is, for the most part, similar in adults and children. However, a number of other disorders either are seen almost exclusively in the pediatric age group (e.g., congenital anomalies) or occur in circumstances peculiar to this age group (e.g., hyaline membrane disease and bronchopulmonary dysplasia). Congenital anomalies of the lung are usually noted within the first weeks to months of life but may not be discovered until later in childhood or, in some cases such as bronchogenic cysts, until adulthood. A surprising number of new congenital anomalies have been described or further delineated since the last edition of this chapter, including alveolar capillary dysplasia, surfactant B deficiency, and two forms of congenital pulmonary airway malformation (previously called congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation). © 2008 Springer New York.