Surgical options for patients with COPD: sorting out the choices.
Surgical procedures designed to improve pulmonary function and quality of life of patients with advanced emphysema have been attempted for more than a century. Of the many attempted procedures, only giant bullectomy, lung transplantation, and lung-volume-reduction surgery have withstood the test of time and are currently being practiced. This article reviews each of these procedures and also develops a rational approach to selecting appropriate candidates for these 3 interventions.
Benditt
Joshua O
JO
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-06522, USA. benditt@u.washington.edu
D000075202:Contraindications; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000601:surgery; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D018579:Patient Selection; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000266:history / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013510:Pulmonary Surgical Procedures / Q000266:history; D011788:Quality of Life