Intradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestration: advantages of the thoracoscopic approach

Abstract

Pulmonary sequestrations are accessory foregut lesions that are most commonly located within the thorax and occasionally in the abdominal cavity. Sequestrations arising within the diaphragm are exceedingly rare. We describe 2 patients found to have left peridiaphragmatic lesions on prenatal ultrasound and postnatal computed tomography. In the first patient, an initial laparoscopic approach was abandoned in favor of a thoracoscopic approach after no intraabdominal mass was found. The second patient had an uncomplicated thoracoscopic resection of a similar lesion. To our knowledge, these represent the first intradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestrations to be resected via a minimally invasive approach. The rarity of these lesions makes definitive diagnosis without operative intervention challenging. Thoracoscopy appears to be a reasonable approach for resection of such intradiaphragmatic lesions.