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Conditions

Postpneumonectomy syndrome (PPS)

Young children who only have one lung are at very high risk for chest wall problems. The space a lung takes up helps keep a child’s whole body grow evenly over the years. If a lung is gone for any reason, the heart, lung, or spine can begin to move around. This kind of moving can cause uneven growth or bone changes. This can cause problems in other areas of the body. The image to the left shows a child missing a left lung from an emergency surgery as an infant.

To keep the child growing well and evenly, our team works with plastic surgeons to use a minimally invasive treatment. We were able to place a tissue expander to fill the space that the lung would have been in. This tissue expander is like a bag made of silicone and filled with salt water. Tissue expanders are used in many other kinds of plastic surgery too. In most cases, we can change implants for larger sizes to match the child as they grow. This keeps their bones and body from worse changes. In this case, the expander was changed with very small incisions and a thoracoscopic camera. The child was able to go home the next day.

We have cared for several children with this condition and treatment. How we work together with many specialists for the best results is what sets Children's Wisconsin apart. It’s a place where plastic surgeons, general and thoracic surgeons, cardiologists, and pulmonologists can come together to create solutions for our patients.
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Pectus chest wall deformity video