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| Surgical Emphysema |
Question:
What is the surgical procedure that is done for sever cases of emphysema?
Answer:
In recent years, three types of surgery have been performed to treat
patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD), emphysema, and chronic bronchitis. These
include:
-Bullectomy: removal of blebs on the lungs, sometimes performed via
laser
-Lung transplant
-Lung volume reduction surgery, where seriously damaged portions of
the lungs are removed, allowing the less diseased and healthy
portions to expand and work more efficiently
Both forms of surgery remain experimental, and at present, are only
available to a small number of patients with COPD at hospitals and
medical centers that are participating in research concerning these
surgical procedures.
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