[Operative surgery of giant bilateral bullae of the lungs]

Three patients with giant bilateral emphysematous bullae are presented. In each case the bullae occupied a third to half of each hemithorax and the remaining lung tissue was compressed. The most informative pre-operative information was gleaned from the standard chest radiograph. All patients underwent simultaneous bilateral resection of the bullae. There was no mortality and the morbidity was limited. Subjectively all patients improved. Median sternotomy was the approach in one patient and we regard this as an effective approach in cases where bilateral bullae have to be removed.