Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) has become a palliative surgical method for selected patients with advanced pulmonary emphysema and disabilitating dyspnea The beneficial effects have been documented by numerous case series and by several randomized controlled trials. In well-selected patients the perioperative mortality does not exceed more than 5% in experienced centers and the expected improvement in FEV1 is a range of 30-60% at 3 to 6 months. Thereafter the lung function steadily declines, but the effect lasts for up to 4 to 6 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKhirurgiia (Sofiia)
November 1998
Izv Meditsinskite Inst Bulg Akad Naukite Sofia Otd Biol Meditsinski Nauki
May 2003