Abstract
Fetal thoracic lung malformations comprise a spectrum of rare diseases that have traditionally been divided into congenital cystic adenomatoid malformations, bronchopulmonary sequestrations, bronchogenic cysts and congenital lobar emphysema. Fetal thoracic masses arise from alterations during lung development that are separated by timing of the inciting event and are now often thought to be associated with an underlying degree of bronchial atresia. Improved radiologic techniques have led to increasingly precise prenatal diagnoses and allow assessment of these masses throughout fetal development. This raises questions regarding the optimal treatment of each of these lesions in a field where there has been much debate. This review will discuss the more common of these rare entities, prenatal diagnosis, current management and fetal treatment options.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Ms Connie Dunn for her technical assistance in assembling the images in preparation of this manuscript.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.