Morphological Study of Human Lungs

Abstract

Background and aims: Knowledge of anatomical variations in lung morphology is not only of academic interest but is essential during surgery and also while interpreting various radiological images. The present study was undertaken with the aim to observe the variations of lung morphology. Materials and Methods:The shape of the lungs, variations of fissures, lobes and hilar structures were studied in 42 right and 37 left isolated lungs.Results: Unusual shape was seen in 4 lungs. Among the right lungs, oblique fissure was incomplete in 42.86% and absent in 7.14% and horizontal fissure was incomplete in 61.90% and absent in 19.05%. Inferior accessory fissure (IAF) was present in 21.43% and superior accessory fissure (SAF) in 7.14%. Usual right hilar architecture having a pulmonary artery with 2 pulmonary veins and 2 bronchi was not seen in any case however, the usual architecture with a superior lobar artery was seen in 28.57% cases. Among the left lungs, oblique fissure was incomplete in 40.54% and absent in 2.70%. Horizontal fissure was present in 24.32%, left minor fissure (LMF) in 29.73%, inferior accessory fissure (IAF) in 43.24% and superior accessory fissure (SAF) in 2.70%. Usual left hilar architecture having a pulmonary artery, 2 pulmonary veins and a bronchus was seen in 54.06%. Conclusion:The knowledge of variations in the lung morphology observed in this study will be of academic interest and also useful for diagnostic and clinical management of pulmonary and even cardiac cases.

Hilar Abnormality in the Left Lung: Left Pulmonary Artery Posterior to the Left Mainstem Bronchus

“…Most frequently noted abnormalities consisted of variable numbers of lung lobes and branches of the pulmonary vasculature. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] Fewer studies depicted anomalies in the pulmonary hilum, and even then, their focus remained on the numerical variations of the entering structures, rather than their topographical relationships. [24][25][26] Given that variability of pulmonary structures is not a rare finding in the patient population, the fact that none of the studies reported abnormal locations of pulmonary arteries and bronchi in the hilum signifies uniqueness of our case.…”

“…[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] Fewer studies depicted anomalies in the pulmonary hilum, and even then, their focus remained on the numerical variations of the entering structures, rather than their topographical relationships. [24][25][26] Given that variability of pulmonary structures is not a rare finding in the patient population, the fact that none of the studies reported abnormal locations of pulmonary arteries and bronchi in the hilum signifies uniqueness of our case. Therefore, our report serves a clinically meaningful function of questioning the common belief that the spatial relationship between arteries and bronchi in the hilum is constant.…”