"Chronic changes in lung tissue cause permanent damage to the organ over time."
What is Emphysema?
Chronic changes in lung tissue cause permanent damage to the organ over time. Emphysema is one of these diseases. It is closely related to smoking and environmental factors. In emphysema, each inhalation fills the alveoli with air and each exhalation results in a micro level of air trapping, with less air being exhaled than inhaled. Eventually, the inhaled air is always more than the exhaled air and the lung tissue, which has lost some of its elasticity due to COPD, becomes more swollen than it should be. There comes a point when the person starts to feel short of breath.
How is Emphysema Treated?
The primary treatment is to try to stop, or at least slow down, the progression of the disease. The primary and almost all treatment is medical (medication). Various medications are used to try to slow down and stop the process. However, if it is considered that other treatments may fail in progressive cases, surgery may be used in a limited and appropriate patient group. However, this should be decided by a board consisting of a thoracic surgeon, pulmonologist, respiratory physiotherapist and cardiologist.
What is the Role of Closed Surgery?
Today, this surgery can be performed with VATS (closed surgery, endoscopic surgery). Some of the swollen lung tissue that is trapped in the chest wall, making diaphragmatic movements difficult, is removed. This allows the lung, which is surrounded by the chest wall and diaphragm, to move freely and the patient can live a more comfortable life than before.
Postoperative complications, such as air leakage, air trapping in the subcutaneous tissue and bleeding problems, are more common than in any other thoracic surgery. Therefore, hospitalization periods may be prolonged.
However, at the end of the arduous process, patients’ breathing scores increase and shortness of breath, which was previously experienced even in daily work, is greatly reduced. Patients have a better quality of life.
Follow Me
Areas of Expertise
Contact
Address: Ankara Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital Hospital Ankara/TURKIYE
Working Hours:
Weekdays : 08:00 – 17:00
Prof.Dr. Göktürk FINDIK © . All Rights Reserved.
