Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction as the Treatment of Choice versus Robotic-Assisted Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in Similar Patients with Emphysema - An Initial Experience of the Benefits and Complications

Objective

There is an assumption that because EBLVR requires less use of hospital resources, offsetting the higher cost of endobronchial valves, it should therefore be the treatment of choice wherever possible. We have tested this hypothesis in a retrospective analysis of the two in similar groups of patients.

Methods

In a 4-year experience, we performed 177 consecutive LVR procedures: 83 patients underwent Robot Assisted Thoracoscopic (RATS) LVRS and 94 EBLVR. EBLVR was intentionally precluded by evidence of incomplete fissure integrity or intra-operative assessment of collateral ventilation. Unilateral RATS LVRS was performed in these cases together with those with unsuitable targets for EBLVR.

Results

EBLVR was uncomplicated in 37 (39%) cases; complicated by post-procedure spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) in 28(30%) and required revision in 29 (31%). In the LVRS group, 7 (8%) patients were readmitted with treatment-related complications, but no revisional procedure was needed. When compared with uncomplicated EBLVR, LVRS had a significantly longer operating time: 85 (14-82) vs 40 (15-151) minutes (p<0.001) and hospital stay: 7.5 (2-80) vs 2 (1-14) days (p<0.01). However, LVRS had a similar total operating time to both EBLVR requiring revision: 78 (38-292) minutes and hospital stay to EBLVR complicated by pneumothorax of 11.5 (6.5-24.25) days. Use of critical care was significantly longer in RATS group, and it was also significantly longer in EBV with SP group than in uncomplicated EBV group.

Conclusion

Endobronchial LVR does use less hospital resources than RATS LVRS in comparable groups if the recovery is uncomplicated. However, this advantage is lost if one includes the resources needed for the treatment of complications and revisional procedures. Any decision to favour EBLVR over LVRS should not be based on the assumption of a smoother, faster perioperative course.

Management of Refractory Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Review

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common condition with an estimated prevalence of 12% in adults over the age of 30 years worldwide. COPD is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with a substantial economic and social burden. There are an estimated 3 million deaths annually due to COPD. However, most of the patients with COPD respond to routine interventions like bronchodilator therapy, assessing supplemental oxygen needs, smoking cessation, vaccinations, and pulmonary rehabilitation. There is a significant number of patients who unfortunately progress to have persistent symptoms despite these interventions. Refractory COPD is not yet formally defined. Patients with severe persistent symptoms or exacerbations despite appropriate care can be considered to have refractory COPD. Managing refractory COPD needs a multidimensional approach. In this review article, we will discuss essential interventions like ensuring adequate inhaler techniques, exploring the need for non-invasive ventilatory support, use of chronic antibiotics and phosphodiesterase inhibitors to advanced therapies like bronchoscopic lung volume reduction surgery, and the upcoming role of anti-IL5 agents in managing patients with refractory COPD. We will also discuss non-pharmacologic interventions like psycho-social support and nutritional support. We will conclude by discussing the palliative care aspect of managing patients with refractory COPD. Through this review article, we aim to better the approach to managing patients with refractory COPD and discuss new upcoming therapies.

Survival following lung volume reduction procedures: results from the UK Lung Volume Reduction (UKLVR) registry

INTRODUCTION

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) and endobronchial valve (EBV) placement can produce substantial benefits in appropriately selected people with emphysema. The UK Lung Volume Reduction (UKLVR) registry is a national multicentre observational study set up to support quality standards and assess outcomes from LVR procedures at specialist centres across the UK.

METHODS

Data were analysed for all patients undergoing an LVR procedure (LVRS/EBV) who were recruited into the study at participating centres between January 2017 and June 2022, including; disease severity and risk assessment, compliance with guidelines for selection, procedural complications and survival to February 2023.

RESULTS

Data on 541 patients from 14 participating centres were analysed. Baseline disease severity was similar in patients who had surgery n=244 (44.9%), or EBV placement n=219 (40.9%), for example, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) 32.1 (12.1)% vs 31.2 (11.6)%. 89% of cases had discussion at a multidisciplinary meeting recorded. Median (IQR) length of stay postprocedure for LVRS and EBVs was 12 (13) vs 4 (4) days(p=0.01). Increasing age, male gender and lower FEV1%predicted were associated with mortality risk, but survival did not differ between the two procedures, with 50 (10.8%) deaths during follow-up in the LVRS group vs 45 (9.7%) following EBVs (adjusted HR 1.10 (95% CI 0.72 to 1.67) p=0.661) CONCLUSION: Based on data entered in the UKLVR registry, LVRS and EBV procedures for emphysema are being performed in people with similar disease severity and long-term survival is similar in both groups.

A case report of subconjunctival emphysema as a rare complication of pulmonary resections

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is performed to the selected patients with lung emphysema who have higher residual volume, restricted pulmonary functions and limited diaphragmatic movement. Post-operative prolonged air leak is not uncommon following LVRS due to pulmonary emphysema. In some patients with prolonged air leak, pneumoderma may develop. Subconjunctival emphysema is a bizarre and very rarely seen complication. We report a patient suffering from subconjunctival emphysema after an LVRS along with a diagnostic wedge resection for a suspected pulmonary nodule which was revealed to be a large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. The condition was resolved with conservative management with no visual impairment. He has been doing well and tumour free for 38 months.

Sound-guided assessment and localization of pulmonary air leak

Pulmonary air leak is the most common complication of lung surgery, with air leaks that persist longer than 5 days representing a major source of post-surgery morbidity. Clinical management of air leaks is challenging due to limited methods to precisely locate and assess leaks. Here, we present a sound-guided methodology that enables rapid quantitative assessment and precise localization of air leaks by analyzing the distinct sounds generated as the air escapes through defective lung tissue. Air leaks often present after lung surgery due to loss of tissue integrity at or near a staple line. Accordingly, we investigated air leak sounds from a focal pleural defect in a rat model and from a staple line failure in a clinically relevant swine model to demonstrate the high sensitivity and translational potential of this approach. In rat and swine models of free-flowing air leak under positive pressure ventilation with intrapleural microphone 1 cm from the lung surface, we identified that: (a) pulmonary air leaks generate sounds that contain distinct harmonic series, (b) acoustic characteristics of air leak sounds can be used to classify leak severity, and (c) precise location of the air leak can be determined with high resolution (within 1 cm) by mapping the sound loudness level across the lung surface. Our findings suggest that sound-guided assessment and localization of pulmonary air leaks could serve as a diagnostic tool to inform air leak detection and treatment strategies during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or thoracotomy procedures.

Utilizing Clinical Trial Data to Assess Timing of Surgical Treatment for Emphysema Patients

BACKGROUND

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) and medical therapy are 2 available treatment options in dealing with severe emphysema, which is a chronic lung disease. However, or there are currently limited guidelines on the timing of LVRS for patients with different characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to assess the timing of receiving LVRS in terms of patient outcomes, taking into consideration a patient's characteristics.

METHODS

A finite-horizon Markov decision process model for patients with severe emphysema was developed to determine the short-term (5 y) and long-term timing of emphysema treatment. Maximizing the expected life expectancy, expected quality-adjusted life-years, and total expected cost of each treatment option were applied as the objective functions of the model. To estimate parameters in the model, the data provided by the National Emphysema Treatment Trial were used.

RESULTS

The results indicate that the treatment timing strategy for patients with upper-lobe predominant emphysema is to receive LVRS regardless of their specific characteristics. However, for patients with non-upper-lobe-predominant emphysema, the optimal strategy depends on the age, maximum workload level, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second level.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates the utilization of clinical trial data to gain insights into the timing of surgical treatment for patients with emphysema, considering patient age, observable health condition, and location of emphysema.

HIGHLIGHTS

Both short-term and long-term Markov decision process models were developed to assess the timing of receiving lung volume reduction surgery in patients with severe emphysema.How clinical trial data can be used to estimate the parameters and obtain short-term results from the Markov decision process model is demonstrated.The results provide insights into the timing of receiving lung volume reduction surgery as a function of a patient's characteristics, including age, emphysema location, maximum workload, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second level.

Application of lung volume reduction surgery for a child with filamin A (FLNA) mutations

Diffuse lung disease in early childhood due to mutations in the filamin A gene has been recently reported. Clinical outcomes vary among individuals indicating variability in phenotype but a substantial proportion of reported cases in early life have ended up in death or lung transplantation. We recently encountered a school-aged child in whom the diagnosis of a filamin A mutation was delayed and the natural history of emphysematous lung disease was altered by serial lung volume reduction surgeries. She eventually underwent a bilateral lung transplant and we report the natural history of her disease and treatments applied herein.

Thermal Volume Reduction Surgery for Surgical Treatment of Pulmonary Bullae: A Single-Center Treatment Experience of 276 Cases Accompany With Primary Lung Cancer

Objective: Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) has been regarded as an effective surgical procedure for severe emphysema (including pulmonary bullae). However, there still remain controversial that its applications limited that only patients with a specific clinical situation may benefit from LVRS, and so did other non-surgical treatments. The current study aims to introduce some initial experience of new technique for treating pulmonary bullae, including using thermal surgical instruments to reduce enlargement of lung tissue in a specific group that diagnosed with lung cancer accompany with pulmonary bullae. Methods: This retrospective study included 276 patients undergoing emphysema reducing surgery between 2010 and 2020. All procedure were performed by thermal volume reduction surgery of using thermal surgical instruments to reduce pulmonary bullae. Results: The average time required for operating single pulmonary bullae was <10 min. Median operative time was 106 min (range 85 to 191 min). No intraoperative air leak, massive blood loss, or other severe complications occurred. The estimated blood loss for TVRS was about 40 ml (range 15 to 120 ml). Postoperative complications included atelectasis (n = 8), pulmonary infection (n = 17), bleeding (n = 5), delayed air leak (n = 7) among the cohort. The postoperative lung function at 1-year post surgery in TVRS group recovered faster with a better recovery that achieving an FEV1 of 1.95 ± 0.46 L, TLC of 6.36 ± 0.79 L, RV of 3.56 ± 0.81 L, PO₂ of 60 ± 8 mmHg, PCO₂ of 37 ± 6 mmHg, and 6 MWD (6-min walk distant) of 305 ± 22 m. The 1-year QOL score was elevated comparing with preoperative period. Conclusion: This single-center study reported a new thermal-based surgical approach to treat pulmonary bullae by reducing abnormally enlarged lung tissue in specific patients diagnosed with lung cancer accompany with pulmonary bullae.

Vanishing Lung Syndrome: An Idiopathic Bullous Emphysema Mimicking Pneumothorax

Vanishing lung syndrome (VLS) is also referred to as idiopathic giant bullous emphysema and is a rare manifestation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Middle-aged tobacco smokers, younger marijuana users, and those with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency may especially be affected. The clinical and radiographic findings of VLS may initially be misinterpreted as spontaneous pneumothorax. High-resolution CT is the diagnostic imaging modality of choice in these patients and can help to differentiate VLS from pneumothorax. Such imaging also helps guide appropriate management. Management of VLS ranges from a conservative to a surgical approach depending upon patients' comorbidities and candidacy for surgical resection. We present a case of a 64-year-old man with frequent hospitalizations for COPD exacerbation admitted with worsening shortness of breath and was found to have giant bullae mimicking a pneumothorax on the initial presentation.

Celebration of the 50-Year Anniversary of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Division of Lung Diseases: A Half-Century of Landmark Clinical Trials

The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) Division of Lung Diseases is celebrating its 50th anniversary. On this occasion, we are reviewing the major landmark clinical trials that were initiated by the NHLBI's Division of Lung Disease and that have had substantial impact on our understanding of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and how it is best treated. Although some of these trials did not show hypothesized treatment benefits for COPD, they have enabled clinicians to provide care for individuals with COPD relying on the most rigorous evidence. The 5 trials that are reviewed here are: the Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing Trial, the Nocturnal Oxygen Treatment Trial, the Lung Health Study, the National Emphysema Treatment Trial, and the Long-term Oxygen Treatment Trial. These clinical trials have not only set the standards for COPD care but have served as models for the state-of-the-art conduct of clinical research in COPD.

Eligibility for Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in Patients With COPD Identified in a UK Primary Care Setting

BACKGROUND

Although lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) improves survival in appropriately selected patients with COPD, few procedures are performed. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has recommended a more systematic approach to identifying potential candidates. We investigated LVRS referrals from a UK primary care population and aimed to establish an accurate estimate of eligible patients and determine a strategy for identifying potential candidates systematically.

METHODS

Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD (a primary care database) and the linked Hospital Episode Statistics inpatient and Diagnostic Imaging Dataset were used. Patients with COPD who had undergone LVRS, patients who met basic eligibility criteria for further screening for LVRS, and patients meeting a more stringent eligibility criteria were identified from April 2012 to September 2015. Thoracic CT scan, pulmonary rehabilitation status, referral to respiratory outpatient clinics, and acute exacerbation of COPD requiring hospitalization were compared between actual LVRS recipients and potentially eligible patients.

RESULTS

Among the 73,697 patients with COPD included, 36 (0.05%) received LVRS, 5,984 (8.1%) met basic eligibility criteria, and 159 (0.2%) met more stringent eligibility criteria. LVRS recipients were younger (mean age ± SD, 64 ± 9.2 years) than the stringently eligible patients (mean age ± SD, 69 ± 8.9 years; P = .01). Few patients meeting stringent eligibility criteria (6.9%) had a CT scan of the thorax in the preceding 3 years or had been referred for assessment in secondary care.

CONCLUSIONS

A substantial unmet need exists among patients with COPD who could potentially benefit from a lung volume reduction procedure but who are not being investigated or referred to consider this possibility.

Patient Preferences for Endobronchial Valve Treatment of Severe Emphysema

Background: Patients with severe emphysema have limited treatment options. Little is known about patients' willingness to accept risks for new treatments that offer meaningful benefits. Methods: We determined treatment preferences of patients with severe emphysema using a web-based discrete-choice experiment survey. Respondents answered 9 questions that offered choices between 2 hypothetical interventional treatments or continuing current medical management. Variations in 5 attributes defined the 2 interventional treatments: improvement in ability to breathe and carry out day-to-day activities, frequency of hospitalized exacerbations, treatment type, risk of pneumothorax within 30 days of procedure, and risk of death within 3 months. Respondents were recruited through the COPD Foundation's COPD Patient-Powered Research Network and had a self-reported emphysema diagnosis and 2+ score on the modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale. The relative importance of the attributes and the percentage of respondents who would select different treatment options was modeled using random-parameters logit. Results: Among 294 respondents, 51% always chose an interventional treatment option, while 19% always selected continued medical management. The most important change on average was moving from continued medical management (with no improvement in breathlessness) to an interventional treatment with improvement in breathlessness. The model predicted 71% of respondents would select a treatment option similar to removable endobronchial valve implants, 6% would select lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS), and 23% continued medical management. Conclusion: Patients with severe emphysema perceive that a procedure with risks and benefits similar to the Zephyr^® endobronchial valve implants is desirable over continued medical management or LVRS.

Effect of Lung Volume Reduction Surgery on Respiratory Muscle Strength in Advanced Emphysema

Background: Long-term effects of lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) on respiratory muscle strength and effects of age, sex, and emphysema pattern on these changes are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to determine the long-term effect of LVRS on respiratory muscle strength changes in severe emphysema. Methods: The National Emphysema Treatment Trial was a prospective controlled multicentered trial, comparing LVRS to optimal medical treatment on survival and maximal exercise capacity. We examined percentage change in maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) from baseline to 36 months follow-up to determine impact of LVRS as well as age, sex, emphysema pattern and exercise capacity on changes in MIP compared to medical treatment. Results: LVRS individuals had significantly greater increases in MIP from baseline compared to medical individuals at all follow-ups (LVRS 19.8 ± 42.3%, medical 3.2 ± 29.3%, p<0.0001, 12 months). The LVRS group had significant decreases in total lung capacity (TLC), residual volume (RV), functional residual capacity (FRC) and RV/TLC compared to the medical arm at all follow-up periods. Males and individuals 65-70 years of age had significantly greater increases in MIP following LVRS compared to the medical arm at all follow-ups; this same relationship was seen at up to 24 months for low exercise capacity, upper lobe predominant emphysema. Conclusions: LVRS significantly increases inspiratory muscle strength up to 3 years post-operatively, with male sex, age 65-70 years and low exercise capacity, upper lobe predominant emphysema especially associated with increased MIP. Inspiratory muscle strength increases were associated with decreases in non-invasive markers of dynamic hyperinflation, suggesting that LVRS allows inspiratory muscles to return to their optimal length-tension relationship.

Staged bilateral single-port thoracoscopic lung volume reduction surgery: A report of 11 cases

The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of staged bilateral single-port thoracoscopic lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema (COPE). Eleven male patients with a mean age of 60.27±12.11 years with bilateral COPE and bullae were admitted to the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital from January 2013 to June 2014. The patients underwent staged bilateral single-port thoracoscopic LVRS. The hyperinflated bullae were resected using endoscopic staplers (Endo-GIA), followed by continuous suture and biological glue for reinforcement of the margin. In addition, pulmonary function, blood gas assay, 6-min walk distance (6MWD) and life quality evaluated by a short form 36-item health survey questionnaire (SF-36) were recorded before and after LVRS, respectively. All the patients survived after surgery. The chest tube drainage time was 9.09±1.31 days and postoperative hospital stay was 15.73±2.75 days, with 5 cases of persistent air leakage and 7 cases of pulmonary infection which were finally cured. The patients were followed up for 3 to 12 months, and the pulmonary function, partial pressure of oxygen (pO₂), 6MWD and life quality after unilateral or bilateral LVRS were improved compared to these parameters before surgery. However, there was no significant difference between unilateral and bilateral LVRS in terms of life quality. In conclusion, staged bilateral single-port thoracoscopic LVRS may improve the short-term life quality of patients with COPE.

Veteran player tips the scale - V/Q SPECT-CT proves decisive in blunt chest trauma. Case report and brief literature review

A 29-year-old patient after blunt chest trauma with right lung atelectasis and pulmonary empyema was referred for lung ventilation and perfusion scintigraphy before right-sided pneumonectomy. Radionuclide imaging revealed severely reduced perfusion and lack of ventilation in the collapsed right lung. Additionally, it showed a matching lobar perfusion-ventilation defect in the lower left lobe, which, apart from consolidation area in posterior basal segment, appeared normal in computed tomography. A normal perfusion and ventilation pattern was observed in the upper left lobe. Since it was found to be the only functioning lobe, pneumonectomy was excluded from possible treatment options.

Interventional Options for COPD- LVRS, Bronchoscopic Therapies and the Future

This article serves as aCME available, enduring material summary of the following COPD9_USA presentations: "Lung Volume Reduction Surgery" Presenter: William A. Bulman, MD "Bronchoscopic Approaches to Lung Volume Reduction" Presenter: Frank Sciurba, MD "Stem Cell Therapies for Advanced Emphysema" Presenter: Edward P. Ingenito, MD, PhD "Lung Transplantation for COPD" Presenter: Daniel Dilling, MD, FACP, FCCP.

Treating heterogeneous emphysema by lung volume reduction surgery using one-way valve stent implantation

PURPOSE

To retrospectively analyze the efficacy and complications of lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) using one-way valve stent implantation in three heterogeneous emphysema cases.

METHODS

We performed bronchoscopic, lung CT, pulmonary function (PF) and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) tests respectively before operation and 1 month, and 3 and 6 months after operation to estimate the surgical effects in the 3 cases by comparing the test results.

RESULTS

After operation, all the three cases had worsened symptoms of cough and expectoration; two of them had hemoptysis, EVB-related infections and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), one of them had airway distortion and respiratory failure and still one of them had granulation hyperplasia. Postoperative reexamination results revealed that one patient had obviously increased forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and right upper pulmonary atelectasis, but no apparent improvements in FEV1, FVC, and 6MWD were found in the other two patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The patient with postoperative pulmonary atelectasis was found with significantly improved PF at the first month after surgery, but the PFs thereof had a drop at the sixth month after surgery due to EVB-related infections. No obvious improvements in the PFs of all the three patients were observed in the reexamination performed six months after surgery. The long-term effects of LVRS with one-way valve stent implantation are uncertain, and further studies should be carried out in the future.

Advances and applications of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction

Lung volume reduction surgery usually gives rise to high postoperative morbidity and impedes its further application. Recently, a plethora of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction techniques such as one-way endobronchial valves, biological sealants, thermal vapor ablation, airway bypass stents and lung volume reduction coils have been extensively used in emphysema treatment. The current data for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction although not conclusive enough do present multiple safer ways compared with conventional surgery with few serious complications, lower cost and shortened hospital care. The bronchoscopic lung volume reduction will undergo continuous development as constant randomized trials are performed to prove its full efficacy.

Effectiveness and efficacy of minimally invasive lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema

Lung emphysema is a chronic, progressive and irreversible destruction of the lung tissue. Besides non-medical therapies and the well established medical treatment there are surgical and minimally invasive methods for lung volume reduction (LVR) to treat severe emphysema.

This report deals with the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of minimally invasive methods compared to other treatments for LVR in patients with lung emphysema. Furthermore, legal and ethical aspects are discussed.

No clear benefit of minimally invasive methods compared to surgical methods can be demonstrated based on the identified and included evidence. In order to assess the different methods for LVR regarding their relative effectiveness and safety in patients with lung emphysema direct comparative studies are necessary.

Effect of magnesium infusion on thoracic epidural analgesia

INTRODUCTION

Patients of lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) having an ASA status III or more are likely to be further downgraded by surgery to critical levels of pulmonary function.

AIM

To compare the efficacy of thoracic epidural block with (0.125%) bupivacaine, fentanyl combination and (0.125%) bupivacaine, fentanyl combination with adjunctive intravenous magnesium infusion for the relief of postoperative pain in patients undergoing LVRS.

METHODS

Patients were operated under general anesthesia. Thirty minutes before the anticipated completion of skin closure in both groups, (Group A and Group B) 7 ml of (0.125%) bupivacaine calculated as 1.5 ml/thoracic segment space for achieving analgesia in dermatomes of T4, T5, T6, T7, and T8 segments, along with fentanyl 50 μg (0.5 ml), was administered through the catheter, activating the epidural block, and the time was noted. Thereafter, in patients of Group A, magnesium sulfate injection 30 mg/kg i.v. bolus was followed by infusion of magnesium sulfate at 10 mg/kg/hr and continued up to 24 hours. Group B was treated as control.

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

A significant increase in the mean and maximum duration of analgesia in Group A in comparison with Group B (P<0.05) was observed. Total epidural dose of fentanyl and bupivacaine required in Group A was significantly lower in comparison with Group B in 24 hours.

DISCUSSION

Requirement of total doses of local anesthetics along with opioids could be minimized by magnesium infusion; therefore, the further downgradation of patients of LVRS may be prevented.

CONCLUSION

Intravenous magnesium can prolong opioid-induced analgesia while minimizing nausea, pruritus, and somnolence.

Improved health-related quality of life after lung volume reduction surgery and pulmonary rehabilitation

PURPOSE

It has been hypothesized that lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) and pulmonary rehabilitation improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis by examining the long-term functional consequences and general health status of patients with emphysema who have undergone LVRS and pulmonary rehabilitation.

METHODS

Forty-nine subjects with severe emphysema, aged 51 to 84 years old, post-LVRS and pulmonary rehabilitation participated in this study. Subjects reported changes in physical and mental domains on the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (MOS SF-36) over 3 time periods: prior to surgery, 6 months postsurgery, and 18 months postsurgery. The population as a whole was studied and both gender and age were analyzed as subsets. Subjects participated in an intensive 2-week (10 daily sessions) pulmonary rehabilitation program following LVRS.

RESULTS

Subjects showed significant improvements in both the physical and mental component summaries at Time 2 (3 months post-LVRS through 6 months post-LVRS) and Time 3 (12 months post-LVRS through 18 months post-LVRS) when compared to Time 1 (pre-LVRS). On the mental component summary scale, subjects younger than 65 years old had significant improvement compared to subjects 65 years and older at Time 3 (P < .05). Women significantly improved more than men at Time 3 on the physical component summary scale (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Lung volume reduction surgery and 2 weeks (10 daily sessions) of intensive pulmonary rehabilitation appears to improve HRQOL in people with emphysema up to at least 18 months postsurgery. What these data further suggest is that even after declines in health, women can improve HRQOL later in life, and that greater focus should be given to the emotional needs of our older patients.

The National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT): a study in agency collaboration

The National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT) was a multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial, comparing the efficacy of lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) plus medical management with rehabilitation to medical management with rehabilitation in 1,218 patients with severe emphysema. The NETT was a precedent-setting collaborative effort of three government agencies: the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). NETT provided Medicare beneficiaries with controlled access to a promising but unproven procedure, while scientifically valid data on the efficacy and costs were collected to guide future use, coverage decisions, and policy. NETT demonstrates that collaboration among federal agencies and among health plans, researchers, and providers can successfully fulfill their differing missions simultaneously and is a productive approach to evaluating new treatments of mutual interest.