| Lung problems in newborns | 374.000000000000 | Lung problems in newborns | Lung problems in newborns | L | English | Pregnancy | Adult (19+) | Body;Lungs | Reproductive system;Respiratory system | Conditions and diseases | Prenatal
Adult (19+) | NA | | 2009-09-10T04:00:00Z | | | | | | 9.50000000000000 | 54.4000000000000 | 727.000000000000 | | Flat Content | Health A-Z | <p>Read about various lung malformations that can arise in a developing fetus during pregnancy. Breathing challenges of premature babies are also discussed.</p> | <p>Some babies are born with problems with their lungs, called congenital lung abnormalities or birth defects. They form as the result of something going wrong with the development of the baby’s lungs during pregnancy. It is important to keep in mind that these malformations are rare. </p>
<p>Lung problems may be suspected if signs of respiratory distress, such as increased breathing rate, grunting, or a bluish tint to the skin, are present but unexplained in a newborn baby. X-rays and other imaging techniques may be used to make a diagnosis. </p> | | <h2>Key points</h2>
<ul><li>Lung malformations though rare, can be caused by something going wrong with the development of the lungs.</li>
<li>Premature babies face breathing problems because their respiratory systems are still immature.</li></ul> | <h2>Examples of lung malformations</h2><h3>Cystic adenomatous malformations</h3><p>These are cysts at the end of the small airways within the lung. There may be many small cysts, giving the lung a honeycomb appearance on X-ray, or there may be one or two large cysts. Cysts in the lung usually drain poorly and cause chronic infections. Most babies with these cysts have respiratory distress. Surgical removal of the affected lobe is the treatment. The surgeon will try to remove as little of the remaining healthy lung tissue as possible. </p><h3>Congenital diaphragmatic hernia</h3><p>This is a malformation of the diaphragm, which separates the chest from the abdomen. Usually with this condition, the diaphragm either is missing or has a hole in it. As a result, the organs in the abdomen — the stomach, liver, and so on — can drift into the chest cavity, leaving little room for the lungs to expand during breathing. Repair of the diaphragm is accomplished with surgery. </p>
<figure class="asset-c-80"><span class="asset-image-title">Congenital diaphragmatic </span>
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<span class="asset-image-title"></span><span class="asset-image-title">hernia</span><img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Diaphragmatic_hernia_MED_ILL_EN.png" alt="Baby with normal lung, diaphragm, liver, stomach, and small and large intestines, and a baby with lower organs in the chest" /><figcaption class="asset-image-caption">Congenital</figcaption><figcaption class="asset-image-caption"></figcaption><figcaption class="asset-image-caption"></figcaption><figcaption class="asset-image-caption"> diaphragmatic hernia is a condition in which the diaphragm does not form completely and the abdominal organs enter the chest cavity. The lungs do not have space to develop properly, and the heart is pushed to one side.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Congenital lobar emphysema</h3><p>This is a malformation that causes overinflation of one of the lobes of the lungs. This becomes a problem because the overinflated lung takes up more space than it should and therefore interferes with the regular inflation of the rest of the lung. Surgery is the treatment for this condition. </p><h3>Pulmonary hypoplasia</h3><p>This is an underdevelopment of the alveoli, airways, and blood vessels in the lung. There is a spectrum of severity of this abnormality. Babies born with this condition may need to be put on a ventilator. They may need to be given a substance called surfactant, which is a foamy, fatty liquid required to keep the air sacs open so that the baby can breathe. Pulmonary hypoplasia is most often associated with premature rupture of the fetal membranes before the 24th week of pregnancy. </p><h3>Pulmonary sequestration</h3><p>This is an area of lung tissue that is not connected to the airways of the lung. This extra lung tissue has no function. The abnormality may be within or outside the lung. A pulmonary sequestration may cause breathing problems, or there may not be any symptoms at all. Surgery may be required to remove a pulmonary sequestration. </p><h2>Breathing challenges in premature babies</h2><p>Premature babies face breathing problems because their respiratory systems are still immature. These are problems that can sometimes be overcome with intensive care. Some examples are:</p><ul><li>respiratory distress syndrome: difficulty breathing because there is not enough of a substance called surfactant to keep the air sacs open </li><li>pulmonary hypoplasia: a condition where the lungs are underdeveloped, most often associated with premature rupture of the fetal membranes before the 24th week of pregnancy </li><li>pneumonia: an infection of the lung that causes the lining of the airways to swell and air sacs to become filled with pus </li><li>pneumothorax: rupture of the air sacs in the lungs, which leads to an accumulation of air in the chest that squashes the lung </li><li>chronic lung disease: damage to the lungs caused by a subtle interaction between the immature lung, the disease process, and the interventions such as ventilators used to treat lung problems in premature babies. A combination of factors, such as inflammation, pressure, and oxygen given through the ventilator, may injure the lungs and lead to chronic lung disease. </li></ul>
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<span class="asset-anim-title">How surfactant works</span>
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