International Journal of COPD (Aug 2022)

Long-Term Follow-Up of Intralobar Bullae After Endobronchial Valve Treatment for Emphysema

  • Taton O,
  • Heinen V,
  • Bondue B,
  • Slebos DJ,
  • Shah PL,
  • Carron K,
  • Moens O,
  • Leduc D

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 17
pp. 1735 – 1742

Abstract

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Olivier Taton,1 Vincent Heinen,2 Benjamin Bondue,1 Dirk-Jan Slebos,3,4 Pallav L Shah,5– 7 Kris Carron,8 Olivia Moens,9 Dimitri Leduc1 1Department of Pneumology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; 2Department of Pneumology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium; 3Department of Pulmonary Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; 4The Netherlands and GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; 5Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK; 6National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK; 7Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; 8Department of Pneumology, AZ Delta, Menen, Belgium; 9Department of Radiology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, BelgiumCorrespondence: Olivier Taton, Department of Pneumology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik, 808, Brussels, 1070, Belgium, Tel +3225553943, Email [email protected]: Endoscopic lung volume reduction using unidirectional endobronchial valves is a new technique in the treatment of patients with severe emphysema. However, the movements of the thoracic structures after endobronchial valves insertion are still unpredictable We report the unusual outcome of six patients after valves insertion in the left upper lobe. They all developed a complete atelectasis of the target lobe, a pneumothorax and sequential genuine bullae in the treated left lung of unknown etiology. The chest CT scan prior to the valves insertion was unremarkable. Three patients developed an air–liquid level in the bullae the day before a bacterial infection of their left lower lobe. The three other patients had an uneventful spontaneous resolution of their bullae at long-term follow-up. Therefore, a conservative attitude should be followed in this particular setting.Keywords: endoscopic lung volume reduction, pneumothorax, chest CT scanner, chest tube drainage

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