Lung Volume Reduction Surgery

Overview

Mayo Clinic is one of the premier centers in the country for lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS). The surgery is used to relieve symptoms in people who have severe emphysema (a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.) Learn more about LVRS.

Patients with emphysema benefit from the unique combination of medical services offered by Mayo Clinic, including:

• Comprehensive surgical or medical treatment options for emphysema, including lung volume reduction surgery and lung transplant, all offered within the same clinic. Read more about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema.
• Coordinated patient care by multiple medical specialists with extensive experience in diagnosing whether patients are appropriate for lung volume reduction surgery or other treatment options.
• A hospital unit that specifically serves lung surgery patients, with physicians, nurses and therapists who specialize in lung surgery patient care, to help achieve the highest-quality patient outcomes and reduce the risks associated with LVRS.

Note that not all patients who have emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will benefit from this surgery. Detailed pulmonary testing is needed to determine if a patient should have lung volume reduction surgery or might benefit more from lung transplantation.

• Treatment in Arizona
• Treatment in Florida
• Treatment in Minnesota

What is Lung Volume Reduction Surgery?

Lung volume reduction surgery is a treatment option for patients with severe emphysema, a common type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The surgeon removes small wedges of damaged lung tissue, usually about 20 to 30 percent of each lung. Removing some damaged air sacs reduces the size of the lungs and results in changes that allow the remaining lung tissue to function better. Often, the result is decreased shortness of breath and improved exercise tolerance.

Emphysema is caused primarily by smoking cigarettes. The disease damages the lungs and makes breathing difficult. It is chronic (ongoing) and progressive (gets worse) and may cause death.

While lung volume reduction surgery does not cure emphysema, it is a proven method to improve some patients' lung capacity, breathing ability and quality of life.