Surgical correction of respiratory failure in patients with diffuse pulmonary emphysema who underwent long-term oxygen therapy

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. The research showed the possibility of operative treatment of patients with terminal stage of respiratory failure who underwent long-term oxygen therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Surgical correction of respiratory failure was performed for two patients after clinical, functional and radio studies. RESULTS. The degree of arterial hypoxemia significantly decreased after operation due to improved ventilation of maximally saved pulmonary tissue areas. This allowed doctors to apply a situational oxygen therapy. Tolerance of physical activity reliably improved and value of BODE-index decreased. CONCLUSIONS. The terminal stage of respiratory failure couldn’t be a contraindication to surgical treatment.

Keywords

• pulmonary emphysema
• surgical reduction of lung volume
• long-term oxygen therapy
• lung transplantation