Bindu Aggarwal1, Girish Gupta2, Madhukar Maletha3, Shruti Kumar4
A 2-month-old infant was admitted with a diagnosis of acute bronchopneumonia, respiratory failure and diminished air entry on one side of the chest. Chest x-ray revealed a hyperlucent hyperinflated left lung and a mediastinal shift. Chest tube drainage was done considering tension pneumothorax as a possibility. Subsequent chest x-ray did not show any improvement. On carefully examining x-rays, diagnosis of Congenital Lobar Emphysema (CLE) was considered which was confirmed by CT scan of the chest. Infant improved after surgical removal of the involved lobe of the lung. This case highlights the importance of sound clinical practices and careful radiological interpretation before embarking on any surgical intervention.
