title: Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) for emphysema: initial experience at the University Hospital Gasthuisberg. Leuven LVRS Group.
abstract: Emphysema is a disabling disease, for which there is no curative therapy available today. Lung transplantation offers a valuable option for a very selected number of patients, however, due to the enormous organ shortage, only few patients can be offered such a therapy. Recently there has been important resurgence of interest in lung volume reduction surgery and as a consequence, we have embarked in such a program since may 1997. We have now performed unilateral lung volume reduction surgery in 29 emphysema patients (25 on the right and 4 on the left side). Twenty-four patients were already discharged home. There has been no perioperative mortality. The mean hospital stay was 19.8 +/- 11.4 days (range, 8-47 d). Twenty patients of whom we already have follow-up data during 6 months (m) form the further basis of this report. Six weeks after the procedure the FEV1 increased from 0.82 +/- 0.28 L (28 +/- 8%) to 1.05 +/- 0.39 L, a mean increase of 28%. There was a further increase of the FEV1 to a maximum of 1.06 +/- 0.42 L at 6 m, a mean maximum increase of 29% (p = 0.0046, ANOVA). Similarly, the FVC increased from 2.80 +/- 1.10 L to 3.15 +/- 1.00 L, a mean increase of 12.5%. A further increase was also obtained at 6 m and was 19.6% (3.35 +/- 1.05 L, p = 0.014, ANOVA). The maximum decrease in RV was obtained at 3 m (from 5.91 +/- 1.37 L to 4.37 +/- 0.85 L (p = 0.0001, ANOVA), a mean decrease of 26%. The maximum TLC decrease was demonstrated at 3 m (from 8.71 +/- 1.71 L to 7.60 +/- 1.56 L (p = 0.002, ANOVA), a mean decrease of 12.8%. Afterwards there was again a gradual raise of the TLC. The six minute walking distance increased from 231 +/- 31 m to 272 +/- 34 m (p = NS) after pulmonary rehabilitation and to 416 +/- 77 m at 3 m and 415 +/- 18 m at 6 m (p = 0.0002, ANOVA) after the operation. The quality of life (measured with a standardized questionnaire, the Nottingham Health Profile) improved significantly in several domains (e.g. mobility, pain, energy, emotions and social) at 3 m postoperatively. There was one late death (at 6 m) due to an unknown cause. The actuarial survival rate was therefore 100% at 3 m and 95% at 12 m. In conclusion, unilateral thoracoscopic lung volume reduction surgery is a new and safe treatment modality for patients suffering from severe end-stage emphysema. The objective and subjective improvement is marked and the mortality is very low. Rigid selection criteria are, however, necessary to be able to guarantee an optimal result.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Respiratory Diseases, University Hospital Gasthuisberg 49, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Verpeut
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Verleden
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Raemdonck
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Decramer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lerut
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demedts
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012115:Residual Volume / Q000502:physiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D014109:Total Lung Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology