Skip to content
How It Works
Explore
Resources Ask a Question
Who It's For
Patients
Decode results, prep for appointments, weigh options.
Caregivers & advocates
Carry the research load for someone you love.
Providers & clinicians
Resources for patients in your practice.
Log In Ask a Question
PubMed This is a summary of 16 peer-reviewed journal articles Updated
Pediatric Pulmonology

Life After Treatment: Long-Term Outlook and Monitoring

At a Glance

The long-term outlook for infants treated for Congenital Lobar Emphysema (CLE) is excellent. Thanks to compensatory lung growth, remaining healthy lobes expand to fill the chest cavity. Whether treated surgically or monitored, most children lead normal, active lives with routine follow-ups.

It is natural to worry about how your child will grow and thrive with a “missing” lobe of their lung. However, the human body—especially in infancy—is remarkably adaptable. For most children treated for Congenital Lobar Emphysema (CLE), the long-term outlook is excellent, with most leading normal, active lives [1][2].

The Miracle of Compensatory Growth

One of the most reassuring facts for parents is the concept of compensatory lung growth [3]. When a lobe is removed in an infant, the body doesn’t just leave an empty space. Instead, the remaining healthy lobes of the lung grow and expand to fill the chest cavity [4][5].

This is more than just stretching; in young children, it involves a physiological increase in functional lung tissue [3][6]. Because this regenerative potential is highest in infancy, early treatment (when medically necessary) often leads to better long-term lung volume than if surgery is delayed [7][8].

Life After Surgery vs. Monitoring

The path your child takes—surgery or monitoring—usually leads to a similar high quality of life, provided the condition is managed correctly:

  • After Lobectomy: Most infants show immediate improvement in breathing after surgery [2][9]. Long-term studies show that these children typically have normal exercise tolerance and can participate in sports and high-energy activities just like their peers [3][1].
  • During Monitoring: For children managed conservatively (without surgery), life is also generally normal. However, these children require more frequent check-ups to ensure that the overinflated lobe isn’t growing faster than the rest of the chest or causing “silent” damage to the healthy lung tissue [10][11].

Long-Term Monitoring: What to Expect

Even after a successful recovery, your child will need periodic follow-up with a pediatric pulmonologist to ensure their lungs are developing as expected.

  1. Clinical Check-ups: Doctors will listen for wheezing or signs of “reactive airway disease” (asthma-like symptoms), which can sometimes occur in children who had lung malformations [12][13].
  2. Imaging Protocols: Periodic chest X-rays or, less frequently, CT scans may be used to verify that the remaining lung lobes are expanding normally and that there is no new overinflation in other areas [14][15].
  3. Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs): Once your child is old enough to follow instructions (usually around age 5 or 6), the doctor may perform PFTs. This involves the child blowing into a tube to measure exactly how much air their lungs can hold and how fast they can exhale [13].

A Note on Future Risks

It is very rare for emphysema or overinflation to develop in the remaining healthy lobes later in life if the initial cause (like a specific weak airway) was isolated to the removed lobe [1]. However, because bilateral involvement (issues on both sides) is possible in a small number of cases, consistent follow-up is the best way to ensure continued health [15][16].

Common questions in this guide

Will my child's lung grow back after a lobectomy for CLE?
While the removed lobe does not grow back, infants experience a process called compensatory lung growth. The remaining healthy lobes of the lung will physically grow and expand to fill the empty space in the chest cavity, allowing for excellent long-term lung function.
Can a child live a normal life and play sports after CLE surgery?
Yes, the vast majority of children treated for congenital lobar emphysema go on to lead completely normal lives. Studies show they typically have normal exercise tolerance and can participate in high-energy activities and sports just like their peers.
What ongoing monitoring is needed for congenital lobar emphysema?
Your child will need periodic check-ups with a pediatric pulmonologist to ensure proper lung development. This typically includes clinical exams to listen for wheezing, periodic chest X-rays or CT scans, and eventually pulmonary function tests.
At what age can my child take a pulmonary function test?
Pulmonary function tests require a child to actively follow specific breathing instructions, such as blowing forcefully into a tube. Because of this, most children are not ready to perform their first test until they are around 5 or 6 years old.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Curated prompts to bring to your next appointment.

  1. 1.How will you monitor my child's lung growth as they reach school age?
  2. 2.At what age should my child have their first Pulmonary Function Test (PFT)?
  3. 3.What are the signs that my child is struggling with exercise tolerance as they get older and more active?
  4. 4.Are there any specific sports or activities my child should avoid?
  5. 5.How often do we need to return for follow-up imaging like a chest X-ray or CT scan?

Questions For You

Tap a prompt to share your answer — we'll use it plus this page's context to start a tailored conversation.

References

References (16)
  1. 1

    Congenital lobar emphysema: Thoracotomy versus minimally invasive surgery.

    Bawazir OA

    Annals of thoracic medicine 2020; (15(1)):21-25 doi:10.4103/atm.ATM_203_19.

    PMID: 32002043
  2. 2

    Congenital Lobar Emphysema in Children: Case Series.

    Benbouziane N, Larda L, Pongo C, et al.

    Cureus 2023; (15(11)):e49416 doi:10.7759/cureus.49416.

    PMID: 38149169
  3. 3

    An analysis of residual lung volume changes after segmentectomy based on three-dimensional computed tomography.

    Abe M, Osoegawa A, Karashima T, et al.

    Journal of thoracic disease 2024; (16(6)):3553-3562 doi:10.21037/jtd-24-83.

    PMID: 38983136
  4. 4

    Successful Treatment of Congenital Lobar Emphysema in Multiple Lung Lobes in an English Bulldog Puppy.

    Regier PJ, Gallastegui A, Craft WF

    Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 2021; (57(2)):96-100 doi:10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7088.

    PMID: 33450005
  5. 5

    Radiologic and Functional Analysis of Compensatory Lung Growth After Living-Donor Lobectomy.

    Shikuma K, Chen-Yoshikawa TF, Oguma T, et al.

    The Annals of thoracic surgery 2018; (105(3)):909-914 doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2017.09.060.

    PMID: 29273322
  6. 6

    Radiologic evaluation of compensatory lung growth using computed tomography by comparison with histological data from a large animal model.

    Ohata K, Chen-Yoshikawa TF, Hamaji M, et al.

    Scientific reports 2022; (12(1)):2520 doi:10.1038/s41598-022-06398-y.

    PMID: 35169160
  7. 7

    Surgical Management of Congenital Lung Malformations.

    King A, Olutoye OO, Lee TC, Keswani SG

    NeoReviews 2023; (24(2)):e84-e96 doi:10.1542/neo.24-2-e84.

    PMID: 36720690
  8. 8

    Twist1 signaling in age-dependent decline in angiogenesis and lung regeneration.

    Hendee K, Hunyenyiwa T, Matus K, et al.

    Aging 2021; (13(6)):7781-7799 doi:10.18632/aging.202875.

    PMID: 33764901
  9. 9

    Persistent respiratory distress in a neonate: a diagnostic dilemma.

    Shukla A, Pandita A, Gupta G, Mishra N

    BMJ case reports 2018; (2018()) doi:10.1136/bcr-2017-222290.

    PMID: 29666078
  10. 10

    Congenital lung malformations: a nationwide survey on management aspects by the Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery.

    Pio L, Gentilino V, Macchini F, et al.

    Pediatric surgery international 2024; (40(1)):53 doi:10.1007/s00383-024-05635-x.

    PMID: 38340215
  11. 11

    Clinical and surgical aspects of congenital lobar over-inflation: a single center retrospective study.

    Abdel-Bary M, Abdel-Naser M, Okasha A, et al.

    Journal of cardiothoracic surgery 2020; (15(1)):102 doi:10.1186/s13019-020-01145-8.

    PMID: 32429981
  12. 12

    A three month old infant with severe respiratory distress.

    Ahmed Z, Sadiq S, Quraishi S, Mirza S

    JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 2024; (74(4)):797-799 doi:10.47391/JPMA.9553.

    PMID: 38751283
  13. 13

    Long-Term Pulmonary Function Outcomes in Children with Pulmonary Hypoplasia.

    Gipsman AI, Danzer E, Aarthun A, et al.

    The Journal of pediatrics 2025; (285()):114671 doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114671.

    PMID: 40447132
  14. 14

    Completely Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Lobectomy for Congenital Lobar Emphysema in a Young Adult.

    Ryuko T, Yamamoto H, Sugimoto S, et al.

    Acta medica Okayama 2022; (76(1)):89-92 doi:10.18926/AMO/63217.

    PMID: 35237004
  15. 15

    Sequential Presentation of Bilateral Congenital Lobar Emphysema.

    Duraiswamy A, Abiramalatha T, Govindaraju G, et al.

    Indian journal of pediatrics 2023; (90(8)):834 doi:10.1007/s12098-023-04643-4.

    PMID: 37199819
  16. 16

    Congenital lobar emphysema in bilateral lung lobes: a case report.

    Lei Q, Zeng W, Ju R

    Translational pediatrics 2020; (9(3)):266-271 doi:10.21037/tp-19-147.

    PMID: 32775245

This page provides educational information about long-term outlooks for children with CLE. Always consult your pediatric pulmonologist or surgeon regarding your child's specific monitoring and care plan.

Get notified when new evidence is published on Congenital lobar emphysema.

We monitor PubMed for new peer-reviewed studies on this topic and email a short summary when something meaningful changes.