A young patient may be asymptomatic, and the anomaly is found on a chest X-ray. Older children may present with recurrent pneumonia. Bronchial atresia is a rare anomaly presenting as recurring lung infections. The involved lobe of the lung is cystic and overinflated. Treatment is removal of the involved lung lobe.
Pulmonary cyst is a cystic formation in one lobe of the lung.
Large cysts will create air trapping and respiratory distress in infancy. In older children, they can become infected. Congenital lobar emphysema is a cystic formation in one lobe of the lung, present at birth. Infants develop distress when the cyst becomes hyperinflated with breathing. The hyperinflation may even be life-threatening.