Volume lung reduction surgery: a review

Emphysema, along with other chronic obstructive lung diseases, affects 13.5 million Americans and is the fastest-growing cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Despite excellent medical management, there are many patients who become unresponsive to therapy. The current surgical options include lung transplantation and lung volume reduction surgery. It is important for nurses to be current with these new surgical techniques. This article reviews the current surgical procedure, postoperative complications, and patient outcomes.