Applications for Clinical Practice
Many patients suffer from emphysema. Among them, severe emphysema is the most difficult to manage. It is important to incorporate optimal medical management including bronchodilators, palliative care, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation and non-invasive ventilation options. When patients with severe emphysema continue to decline or seek further improvement in their care, and when they meet the specific criteria for lung volume reduction, endobronchial valve therapy should be considered an option and physicians should refer them to appropriate centers. However, the risk of complications, such as pneumothorax, still remains high.
—Minkyung Kwon, MD, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, and Joel Roberson, MD, Department of Radiology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI