Surgical Treatment of Invasive Pulmonary Fungal Infections in
Immunocompromised Pediatric Patients: Aspergillus spp and other emerging
fungi
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Invasive Pulmonary Fungal Infections (IPFI) represent a
diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The exact role of surgery is not
well defined. This study aims to analyze our experience with surgical
treatment of IPFI in immunocompromised pediatric patients and,
secondarily, to compare the IPFI caused by Aspergillus spp. with other
fungal infections. METHODS: retrospective review (2000-2019) of patients
with IPFI surgically treated at our pediatric institution. Statistical
analysis was used to compare data between Aspergillus spp. and
non-Aspergillus IPFI. RESULTS: twenty-five patients (64% females)
underwent 29 surgical lung resections. Median age at surgery was 7.19
years (1.63-19.14). The most frequent underlying condition (64%) was
acute leukemia. Surgical indications included persistence or worsening
of symptoms and pathological image findings (52%) or asymptomatic
suspicious lesions in patients scheduled for intensive cytotoxic
treatments or HSCT (48%). All patients underwent atypical lung
resections, except one lobectomy. Aspergillus spp. was the most
frequently isolated pathogen (68%). Follow up was 4.07 years
(0.07-18.07). Surgery-related mortality was 0% but 4 patients died in
the 100 days following surgery (2 due to disseminated fungal infection);
the remaining 21 didn’t show signs of IPFI recurrence. Non-specific
consolidations on CT scan were more frequent in non-Aspergillus IPFI
(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: surgical treatment of IPFI should be
considered as part of the treatment in selected pediatric
immunocompromised patients, and it may have both diagnostic and
therapeutic advantages over non-surgical management. When there is
clinical suspicion of IPFI but CT scan shows unspecific alterations, the
possibility of a non-Aspergillus IPFI should be considered.