[Four-year results after lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema]. / Resultados a los 4 años de la cirugía de reducción de volumen en el enfisema.

OBJECTIVES: While the short-term results of lung volume reduction surgery are known, follow-up over several years has not often been described. The purpose of the present study was to describe results in terms of functional improvement, dyspnea, quality of life, and mortality over a 4-year period in patients with advanced emphysema. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fourteen successive patients were enrolled between 1996 and 2000 and studied prospectively for 4 years. All patients served as their own controls and initially received pulmonary rehabilitation and medication. Preoperative data were used as baseline and were compared to postoperative data over 4 years. The data analyzed were: functional improvement (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1]), quality of life, dyspnea, and patient loss due to death or referral to a lung transplantation program. RESULTS: Patients with advanced emphysema (mean FEV1 [SD]: 22.8% [11%] of predicted) were studied. Postoperative mortality was 14%. Overall mortality (postoperative plus deaths due to respiratory insufficiency) was 28% at 1 year and 35% at 4 years. Two patients died of cancer and 5 were referred for transplantation. At 3 months, FEV1 had improved more than 15% in 9 patients (64%); the improvement was maintained in 43% of patients at 1 year and 7% at 4 years. Improvement in dyspnea paralleled improvement in FEV1. Overall, at 3 months mean FEV1 had improved 41.9% (68%), transitional dyspnea index 2.7 (3), and quality of life questionnaire score 1 (0.9). Thus, improvements were considerable, but there was great variation. Preoperative mean decrease in FEV1 was 50 (32) mL/y, and postoperative decrease 194 (70) mL/y. CONCLUSIONS: With the inclusion criteria used, there was considerable variation in the results. Significant overall functional improvement was maintained in 50% of the patients 1 year following surgery and in 7% 4 years after surgery. Given such results, together with a surgical mortality rate of 14% and overall mortality of 28% in the first year, we believe that the criteria for using lung reduction surgery should be revised.

[Body mass, dyspnea, and quality of life as success predictors in emphysema surgery for reduction of pulmonary volume]. / Masa corporal, disnea y calidad de vida como predictores de éxito en la cirugía de reducción de volumen en el enfisema.

OBJECTIVES: Lung volume reduction surgery has recently been proposed as a palliative treatment for advanced emphysema. Some patients improve and others remains the same, being debated at this time the factors that predict improvement. The purpose of this work is to find predictive factors for positive response in patients operated with this surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with positive response (7 patients) and patients without positive response (5 patients) have been compared in our series of lung volume reduction surgery (12 patients). Positive response to surgery was defined as Delta FEV1 > or = 15%, dyspnea transitional index (Mahler scale) > or = 3, and improvement in the scoring surgery of quality of life for chronic respiratory disease questionnaire (Guyatt and Güell) > or = 1.5 3 months after the surgery. Basal values of FEV1, FEF50/FIF50%, hyperinsufflation degree, heterogeneity, PaO2, PaCO2, type of surgery, body mass index (BMI), dyspnea basal index (DBI) and quality of life questionnaire score (QLQS). RESULTS: Patients without and with positive response were different only because their baseline BMI, DBI and QLQS were lower. Other parameters studied (although the population was rather homogeneous) did not show significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with higher subjective problems (dyspnea and quality of life) and more malnourished are those with less benefit from surgery for pulmonary volume reduction.

[Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis. A disease which may have a benign progression]. / Linfangioleiomiomatosis pulmonar. Una enfermedad que puede tener un curso benigno.

Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (PLLM) is characterized by a benign proliferation of the smooth muscle around lymphatics, venulas and bronchiolus. It is usually fatal within 1 to 9 years. We present a case which remained with scarce symptoms despite receiving no treatment after at least 9 years of evolution of the disease. We highlight the clinical manifestations of the disease and the relevance of pulmonary biopsia with thoracotomy in order to establish the diagnosis.