Background: Patients with severely impaired pulmonary function are considered at high risk for emphysema operations. We prospectively evaluated 44 patients with a forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 0.5 L or less undergoing reduction pneumonoplasty for dyspnea uncontrolled by medical management (confirmed by Borg and modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scales).
Methods: There were 28 men and 16 women (mean age, 66 years) with a mean preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 0.41 L (range, 0.23 L to 0.50 L). Preoperative therapy consisted of bronchodilators (100% of patients), oxygen (80%), and steroids (72%). Hypercarbia was seen in 80% of patients, and 66% had pulmonary hypertension. Unilateral reduction pneumonoplasty by a video-assisted thoracic surgical approach was performed in 34 patients, 6 patients underwent bilateral reduction pneumonoplasty by a video-assisted thoracic surgical approach, and 4 patients underwent bilateral reduction pneumonoplasty by a video-assisted thoracic surgical approach, and 4 patients underwent bilateral reduction pneumonoplasty by median sternotomy. Discrete emphysematous regions were resected using staplers with buttressing, and regions of homogeneous emphysema were plicated with KTP or neodymium:yttrium-aluminum garnet laser radiation.
Results: There was one death within 30 days, two additional deaths within 60 days, and five additional deaths within 1 year. Hospital stay averaged 12 days. Intensive care unit stay averaged 4 days. Subjective improvement was noted by 89%. Borg and modified dyspnea scores improved from 7.6 to 4.5 (p < 0.01) and from 3.9 to 2.35 (p < 0.01), respectively. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second was 0.62 L at 1 year, a 51% improvement (p < 0.001). Forced vital capacity was 1.32 L preoperatively and 2.05 L at 1 year (a 56% improvement) (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: This experience documents that patients with severely impaired lung function can successfully undergo operation for emphysema. To obtain these results one must tailor the operative approach to the patient's disease.