Thoracic surgery in children.

OBJECTIVE: Children rarely undergo thoracic surgery. When they do, the procedures fall into five main groups: oncologic indications, immune defects, malformations, infections and trauma. In addition to considerations associated with the underlying indication, the different proportions of the anatomical structures in children require special modifications in both diagnostics and surgical technique compared to corresponding procedures in adults. METHODS: Of a total 2137 thoracic surgical procedures performed between 1992 and 2001, 49 were performed in children (n = 37; age: 3 months-15 years; median age: 8 years). Indications for surgery included underlying oncologic disease (n = 20), immunodeficiency (n = 5), thoracic or pulmonary malformation (n = 6) and trauma (n = 3). Patients' postoperative clinical course was analyzed retrospectively for all 49 procedures. Pre- and postoperative pulmonary function test results are available for 16 children. Data regarding quality of life were documented in 24 children. RESULTS: The following procedures were performed: 27 atypical resections, seven lobectomies, one pneumonectomy, three decortications, four mediastinotomies or mediastinoscopies and seven other procedures. Six procedures represented second or third procedures in the same patient. Two of six patients with immune defects died during the perioperative period. Eleven of 20 oncologic patients (55%) have remained free of recurrent disease. Quality of life, as assessed by the Karnowski index in 24 children, was at least 80%. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic surgical procedures in children with underlying benign disease are associated with a good prognosis and high quality of life scores. Surgical treatment of pulmonary metastases is a feasible component of the overall oncologic therapy concept and can offer the only opportunity for curation for a selected group of patients. Because of high postoperative mortality, however, the indication for diagnostic thoracotomies in children with immunodeficiencies and poor general health should be weighed critically.