Overview of the pathology of emphysema in humans

In summary, emphysema in smokers should not be considered a single entity with predictable clinical and functional abnormalities. Decreases in flow are the ultimate abnormalities seen in COPD with emphysema; however, the pathophysiology of the flow alterations are vastly different in CLE and PLE. Based on the present understanding of emphysema, it could be predicted that the short-term results of pneumonectomy might produce some improvement in flows in CLE but not in PLE. Any improvement, however, may be short-lived, because the new mechanical conditions resulting from the removal of emphysematous lung would destroy the remaining lung at an accelerated rate, thus returning to the prior emphysematous state.