[Lung volume reduction surgery for pulmonary emphysema]

Abstract

Surgical treatment for pulmonary emphysema has received renewed attention, because many studies have demonstrated improvements in dyspnea and pulmonary function. After lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) for carefully selected advanced pulmonary emphysema, pulmonary functional impairments, such as expiratory flow limitation, increase in lung volume, decrease in lung elastic recoil, impaired gas exchange are improved. Improvements of dynamic hyperinflation, respiratory muscle function and exercise tolerance were also demonstrated after LVRS for pulmonary emphysema. Finally these functional effects may improve symptom and prognosis of pulmonary emphysema with better quality of life. Although the basic mechanism responsible for the improvements are not well known yet, physiological mechanisms which brought improvement after surgical treatment for pulmonary emphysema should be further investigated.