[Selection of patients with pulmonary emphysema for surgical volume reduction]

Lung volume reduction is a novel surgical concept and may be applied in certain patients, who suffer from dyspnea and are limited in their daily activity due to severe emphysema associated with considerable pulmonary hyperinflation. Careful evaluation of patients aims at selecting those candidates, who profit most from this type of surgery and are at low risk for perioperative complications. Some of the inclusion and most of the exclusion criteria are rather arbitrary and are the topic of this review.