Congenital pulmonary lymphangiectasia

Severe respiratory distress in an infant born at 40 weeks. A female infant was born at 40 weeks and 3 days of gestation, weighing 2970 g. The Apgar scores were 8, 10, and 10 at 1, 5, and 10 minutes, respectively. Within one hour after birth, severe respiratory distress with profound cyanosis developed while the infant was breathing room air, and intubation and mechanical ventilation were required. An initial chest radiograph showed normal lung volumes with diffuse, bilateral nodular changes, and a subsequent chest radiograph obtained on the 17th day of life showed that these changes had become more prominent (Panel A). Surfactant and antibiotics were administered. Lung compliance remained. © 2003, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.