Life Expectancy and Rate of Decline After Lung Volume Reduction Surgery.

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) patient selection guidelines are based on the National Emphysema Treatment Trial. Because of increased mortality and poor improvement in functional outcomes, patients with non-upper lobe emphysema and low baseline exercise capacity are determined as poor candidates for LVRS. In well-selected patients with heterogeneous emphysema, LVRS has a durable long-term outcome at up to 5-years of follow-up. Five-year survival rates in patients range between 63% and 78%. LVRS seems a durable alternative for end-stage heterogeneous emphysema in patients not eligible for lung transplantation. Future studies will help identify eligible patients with homogeneous emphysema for LVRS.