Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) offers hope for some patients with emphysema. Because emphysematous lungs are overinflated, the chest wall and diaphragm cannot function properly because they are moved out of place to accommodate the distended lungs.
LVRS improves a person’s respiratory system by removing the most destroyed part of the lungs, which is usually 20-30% of each lung and usually at the apex of the lungs. After such surgery, the chest wall and diaphragm return to their normal location and the healthy lung tissue functions more effectively.
Thoracic surgeons at CVTSA care for patients with advanced lung disease from Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC.
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