Emphysema is a progressive pulmonary disease characterized by abnormal and permanent enlargement of air spaces distal to terminal bronchioles accompanied by the destruction of pulmonary parenchyma. Treatment includes inhaled bronchodilator therapy, rehabilitation and/or oxygen treatment. In addition to the above, patients with severe emphysema may benefit from surgical lung volume reduction and/or lung transplantation. The rationale for lung volume reduction surgery is that reducing lung size would restore elastic recoil of the lung and improve chest wall and diaphragm mechanics. It has previously been shown that particularly patients with heterogeneous emphysema seem to benefit most from surgical lung volume reduction.~Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) has recently been introduced as a less invasive potential alternative to surgical lung volume reduction. BLVR attempts to achieve the effects of surgery, by placing bronchial prostheses using a fibreoptic bronchoscope to selectively occlude the airways supplying the most affected hyperinflated regions of the emphysematous lung, while permitting exhaled gas to escape. This attempts to achieve segmental or lobar volume reduction, simulating the effects of surgical LVR.~The purpose of the study is to investigate if bronchoscopic lung volume reduction by valves (Zephyr) would reduce native lung overinflation in patients that underwent single lung transplantation due to emphysema, and improve their well being and pulmonary function tests
The purpose of the study is to investigate if bronchoscopic lung volume reduction by valves (Zephyr) would reduce native lung overinflation in patients that underwent single lung transplantation due to emphysema, and improve their well being and pulmonary function tests.