title: Surgery for giant emphysematous bullae: case report and a short literature review.
abstract: Giant bullous emphysema (GBE), known as 'vanishing lung syndrome', usually occurs in association with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this report, we describe a patient with giant emphysematous bulla occupying approximately 95% of the right hemithorax, who had history of repeated attacks of acute exacerbation of COPD. About 95% of right pulmonary parenchyma was removed. Delightfully, the 5% of residual lung compressed for 4 years gradually inflated, and occupied the whole hemithorax. Preoperatively he was functionally and clinically severely disabled while improved markedly after bullectomy.
authors: 1 Department of Thoracic Surgery, 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.
authors: Wenting
authors: W
authors: Huang
authors: 1 Department of Thoracic Surgery, 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Han
authors: 1 Department of Thoracic Surgery, 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: 1 Department of Thoracic Surgery, 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: He
keywords: Giant pulmonary bulla; lung function; preoperative evaluation; video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery