Topic 12 of 74 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Surgery (Medicine, Year 5). The free AceMed note covers it in 8 sections, about 440 words (6 min of reading), with 16 flashcards.
In this note
TOPIC 12
Pulmonary cysts
DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
CLINICAL FEATURES
INVESTIGATIONS AND DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
MANAGEMENT
COMPLICATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP
DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION
A pulmonary cyst is a circumscribed air- or fluid-containing lesion within lung parenchyma, usually with a defined wall.
It must be distinguished from a cavity, bulla, pneumatocele and emphysematous space.
Congenital causes include congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM), bronchogenic cyst and pulmonary sequestration; acquired causes include post-infective pneumatoceles, trauma, parasitic disease and cystic lung disorders.
Multiple diffuse cysts suggest a systemic or genetic process rather than a solitary congenital lesion.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
CPAM results from abnormal branching morphogenesis of the developing airway, producing cystic or solid-cystic lung tissue with variable communication to the bronchial tree.
Bronchogenic cysts arise from abnormal foregut budding and may be intrapulmonary or mediastinal.
Pneumatoceles develop after infection or trauma due to airway obstruction and check-valve mechanisms.
Cysts can become infected, rupture or compress adjacent lung.
A cystic lesion may mimic a cavitating tumour or abscess; wall thickness, internal contents, surrounding inflammation and interval change help distinguish them.
Continue reading free
The whole note, all 8 sections, is free with an AceMed account, with its 16 flashcards. Premium adds flashcard recall, highlights and Ask AI.
