Bilateral Pulmonary Lobar Agenesis – A prospective cadaveric study

Bilateral Pulmonary agenesis is a rare congenital anomaly of lungs with a definite embryological basis and diverse Clinical presentations ranging from asymptomatic cases to very severe disease incompatible with extra uterine life. Depending upon the developmental stage of lungs at which the insult occurs, the pulmonary agenesis is classified as bilateral complete, unilateral and lobar agenesis. Diagnosis of this anomaly is possible during early intrauterine life but it may remain silent to be detected at Autopsy. Bilateral lobar agenesis a rare and benign variant of this rare anomaly which we are reporting for the first time in the history of 65 years old Post Graduate department of Anatomy at Government Medical College Srinagar. The present study was carried out during routine dissection for teaching cadaveric Anatomy and simultaneously recording observations.60 lungs from 30formalin preserved Indian cadavers were dissected out and observations regarding the number of lobes in each lung were recorded. In one of the Cadavers we found that right lung had two lobes (upper and lower) and only one fissure (oblique) whereas left lung was single lobed with no fissure. These anomalous lungs were associated with absence of left kidney. No other associated anomalies like tracheal, esophageal, diaphragmatic and cardiovascular anomalies were reported in this case. The sound knowledge of isolated Lobar agenesis is very important in Maternal and child health, Neonatology, Cardiology, chest Medicine, Radio diagnosis and Anesthesiology for early diagnosis and appropriate management of this rare anomaly and its associations which otherwise remain undiagnosed to be detected at autopsy either because of their benign nature or as a consequence of their severity.