Surgical and endoscopic treatment for COPD: patients selection, techniques and results

J Thorac Dis. 2018 Oct;10(Suppl 27):S3344-S3351. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2018.06.156.

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a very heterogeneous disease characterised by an obstructive lung pattern that constitutes worldwide a major cause of high morbidity and mortality. In the last decades, lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) has demonstrated to be a potential good alternative to transplantation in patients affected by COPD. The trend toward minimally invasive techniques resulted not only in surgical procedures better tolerated by the patients but also in several endoscopic treatments modality that are rapidly gaining ground.

Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); emphysema; endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR); lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS).

Publication types

  • Review