Preliminary experience with lung volume reduction surgery

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) for treating patients with severe emphysematous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been advocated since 1995 and has been shown to improve respiratory symptoms and quality of life in carefully selected patients. We report our initial experience of LVRS on a 72-year-old patient with severe emphysema who underwent bilateral surgery via video-assisted thoracic surgery using a bovine pericardium-buttressed stapling technique. Substantial improvements in dyspnea, pulmonary function measurements, and exercise capacity were achieved postoperatively.