Medical pneumoplasty, surgical resection, or lung transplant.
Over the last decade, advances in bronchoscopic and surgical techniques have expanded our treatment armamentarium for patients with severe emphysema who previously would have received a pessimistic outlook from their physician. Advances in our understanding of the different COPD phenotypes and its natural history has refined our selection process as to which group of emphysema patients will derive maximum benefit from LVR, bullectomy, or lung transplantation. Because emphysema is a progressive disease, initial treatment with bronchoscopic or surgical LVR or bullectomy does not preclude lung transplantation in the future.
Lung and Heart/Lung Transplant Program, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA. francis.cordova@temple.edu
Francis C
FC
Cordova
D001768:Blister / Q000601:surgery; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D018579:Patient Selection; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome