[Resection of bronchial carcinoma combined with lung volume reduction]

Lung volume reduction (LVRO) combined with simultaneous resection of bronchial carcinoma ignores the well known principles of functional operability. In case of 6 patients with LVRO and resection of the lung because of a non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stage I (4 x), stage II (1 x) and stage IIIa (1 x) located in the emphysematous lung parenchyma lobectomy was done four times and extraanatomical resection twice. Because of a gangrene the resection of middle lobe was necessary in case of one patient. There were no other perioperative complications. 6 months after the operation 5 patients noticed decreased dyspnea. The survival rate after 2 years was 66 %, after 3 years 34 %. 1 patient is still alive after 56 months. Cause of death was in every case progress of tumour. Due to the principles of oncologic surgery lung resection will be functional tolerated if the cancer is located in the area of bullous lung destruction; in singular cases lung resection will improve the cardiorespiratory status at least temporary. In case of extraanatomic or segmental resections there is a low rate of morbidity and lethality but a high incidence of recurrence of carcinoma. The short- and medium- term functional results seem to be encouraging. Limiting factor for carrying out extensive resections is the tumour infiltration of non emphysematous lung parenchyma. There is no doubt that simultaneous resection will be reserved for a group of highly selected patients.