Relatively Minor Surgery for Emphysema?

Robert W. Griffith, MD

One of the treatments for emphysema in advanced stages is surgery. Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) involves removal of wedges of damaged lung tissue, so that the remaining lung tissue functions more efficiently. Now there may be a less invasive approach to achieve the same result.

A report given at the European Respiratory Society Annual Congress described the use of artificial valves that can be implanted in the bronchi leading to diseased lung tissue, so that air flow to that area is effectively blocked. Gas and mucus can be expelled from the diseased lung, while air cannot refill the tissue during inhalation.

In a clinical trial, 220 patients across 31 centers in the USA and Europe who received such valves were found to have improved respiratory tests, whereas 101 non-operated controls deteriorated. The treated subjects' 6-minute walking distance improved significantly, too, compared to the controls'.

This first study was not very well controlled - there was no sham treatment, for instance, and the measurements made were not 'blinded'. Another criticism was that the improvements in the 6-minute walking distance were not great enough - only 15 meters, as opposed to an average of 50 meters reported after LVRS. However, the consensus of the Congress was that the valves represent a welcome less-invasive approach to a serious problem. Time will tell - the procedure is still classified as experimental.

Source
HealthandAge Blog

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