Outcomes and late complications after pulmonary resections in the pediatric population.

Neonates and children undergo lung resections for a variety of indications. These procedures can be performed with low mortality and low morbidity rates in the early postoperative period. There exist important anatomic and physiologic differences between the pediatric and the adult population, which thoracic surgeons need to be aware of. On the one hand, the capacity of the lung to grow during the first few years of life is associated with relative preservation of postoperative pulmonary function in children. On the other hand, the relative flexibility of their tissue structures places pediatric patients at increased risk for developing postpneumonectomy syndrome. Moreover, surgeons need to take the child's growth and development into consideration when planning their operative approach for thoracic procedures.