Bronchoscopic interventions for emphysema: Current status

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a prevalent and progressive disease. The recently developed bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) techniques offer personalized therapeutic options in subgroups of patients with severe emphysema. Endobronchial and intrabronchial valves (EBV/IBV) achieve lung volume reduction by lobar atelectasis. The lung volume reduction coils (LVRCs) and bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation (BTVA) induce tissue compression, either mechanically or through inflammatory processes. While the effects of EBV/IBV are reversible by removing the implants, the effects of LVRC are partially reversible and that of BTVA is irreversible. The presence of interlobar collateral ventilation (CV) impacts on EBV/IBV treatment outcome due to its mechanism of action. Therefore, using radiological and endoscopic techniques to assess CV has a vital importance. Current evidence of BLVR demonstrates acceptable safety and short-term clinical efficacy. However, head-to-head trials are lacking, and further research is needed to establish long-term clinical benefit, durability, and cost-effectiveness of these techniques.