Lobar volume reduction surgery: a method of increasing the lung cancer resection rate in patients with emphysema

Guidelines on patient selection for lung cancer resection identify a predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second (ppoFEV(1)) of <40% as a predictor of high risk. Experience with lung volume reduction surgery suggests that ppoFEV(1) may be underestimated in those with concomitant emphysema.

Anatomical lobectomy was performed in 29 patients with a resectable lung cancer within a poorly perfused, hyperinflated emphysematous lobe identified by radionuclide perfusion scintigraphy and computed tomographic scanning. Perioperative changes in spirometric parameters at 3 months were compared in 14 patients (group A) of mean age 69 years (range 48-78) with ppoFEV(1) <40% (mean (SD) 31.4 (7)%) and 15 patients (group B) with ppoFEV(1) >40% (mean (SD) 47 (5)%). The correlation between predicted and actual postoperative FEV(1) was also assessed.

In group B there was a significant perioperative reduction in FEV(1) (p=0.01) but in group A FEV(1) did not change significantly after lobectomy (p=0.87); mean difference in perioperative change between groups A and B 331 ml (95% CI 150 to 510). Despite the difference in ppoFEV(1) between the groups, there was no difference in actual FEV(1) at 3 months. In-hospital mortality was 14% in group A and zero in group B, but at a median follow up of 12 (range 6-40) months there was no difference in survival between the groups.

Selection for lung cancer resection in patients with emphysema using standard calculations of ppoFEV(1) may be misleading. The effect of lobar volume reduction allows for an extension of the selection criteria.