Opening of infectious giant bulla with use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

In 5 cases, an infectious giant bulla was opened with the use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Because all bullae adhered to the thoracic wall and were noncommunicating with the airway, they were opened without complete resection, leaving their inside walls at the lung and lateral walls on the thoracic wall. The expansion of remnant lung was excellent, and postoperative air leakage did not occur in any case. The postoperative vital capacity and FEV1 improved significantly over the preoperative condition (p<0.01). Because the bronchial communication of bulla is frequently obliterated after infection within the bulla, opening of a bulla is curative and simpler, more effective, and less invasive than complete resection.