Videoscopic lung volume reduction surgery in an Australian public teaching hospital.
BACKGROUND
Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) has been a frequent literature topic in emphysema management recently. Opinions differ in regard to usefulness, efficacy, and selection criteria.


OBJECTIVE
To present the results of our first 55 bilateral videoscopically resected group, with follow-up of up to three years, and to present some of the local methodology problems faced.


METHODS
Thirty-nine men and 16 women, age range 40-77, had either upper lobe (42), mixed (two), or lower lobe (11) resections without buttressing (except for unilateral buttressing in several of the latter patients as part of an intrapatient comparison trial) according to their pattern of emphysema determined by CT and perfusion scanning.


RESULTS
Thirty day mortality was 5.5%. Follow-up pulmonary function is available for 44 patients, and demonstrates a mean 51% improvement in FEV1, and significant improvement in FVC, PaO2, dyspnoea indices and walking distance, with a reduction in mean RV, TLC, PaCO2. FEV1 improvement is maintained above baseline at three years. Lower lobe surgery outcomes are at least as good as their upper lobe counterparts.


CONCLUSIONS
Outcomes confirm improvements reported elsewhere, and suggest that videoscopic resection may provide worthwhile benefit to lower lobe patterns of emphysema. Other managment issues are discussed.
Porter
S H
SH
Division of Medicine, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Campus, North West Adelaide Health Service, SA.
Ruffin
R E
RE
Pfitzner
J
J
Peacock
M
M
Southcott
A M
AM
Homan
S
S
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000191:economics; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000191:economics