Skip to Accessibility Menu Skip to Login Skip to Content Skip to Footer
caret icon Back to all discussions

Surgery

gruff9's avatar image

gruff9

I'd like to know more about the surgical options, i.e., bullectomy and lung volume reduction surgery, especially talking with anyone who has had either of these surgeries. I'm 80 with severe COPD and accompanying factors but other than that, I'm in good shape (heart, brain, body, etc.) and if the surgery can give me better breathing I can keep from muscle atrophy from lack of exercise. Thanks.

  1. Leon Lebowitz, RRT's avatar image

    Leon Lebowitz, RRT Member

    Hi , and thanks for your post. While I'm hopeful others in the community will respond to your inquiry with their own personal experiences, you may be interested to know we have some published material, on that very subject, right here on COPD.net.

    For your convenience, here is a link to several of those articles: https://copd.net/?s=endobronchial+valves. These focus on the endobronchial valve system and lung transplants.

    Besides those articles, I thought this one, which is an overview of surgical treatments for COPD, might also be of interest.

    I do hope you find these to be helpful.

    Wishing you well,
    Leon (site moderator COPD.net

    1. gruff9's avatar image

      gruff9 Member

      Thanks for your reply. I'm going to check out that article right now.

  2. Leon Lebowitz, RRT's avatar image

    Leon Lebowitz, RRT Member

    Hi again, , and thanks for letting us know!

    I see now, that I neglected to provide the link to the other surgical procedures I mentioned. I will rectify that now. Here is the promised link to the overview of surgical treatment(s) for COPD: https://copd.net/treatment/surgery-overview/.

    I apologize for the oversight.

    I do hope this information provides you with some additional insight for your concerns.

    If there is anything we can assist you with, please let me or any other moderator / team member know.

    All the best,
    Leon (site moderator COPD.net)

    1. melaniem's avatar image

      melaniem Community Admin

      Hi Whirledpeas,

      Since you mentioned having a hard time navigating our site (and I know it can be a bit hard to navigate) I wanted to share this article with you in case you have not seen it and it might be helpful: https://copd.net/news/welcome-newcomers/.

      Thanks for sharing your experience with your surgery in this forum, your insight is valuable here!

      ~Melanie (team member)

    2. whirledpeas's avatar image

      whirledpeas Member

      Thanks! That was helpful.

  3. gruff9's avatar image

    gruff9 Member

    Thanks. From what I'm seeing it appears that endobronchial valves are the best solution for my wind bags.

    1. whirledpeas's avatar image

      whirledpeas Member

      My doc wouldn't schedule it til Humana approved it. I think they mostly do, now. Keep me posted. I will pray for success.

    2. gruff9's avatar image

      gruff9 Member

      Thanks. I will keep you posted.

  4. Leon Lebowitz, RRT's avatar image

    Leon Lebowitz, RRT Member

    It's our pleasure, - glad the information was helpful for you to read.

    Moving forward, you may want to discuss this further and in depth with your physician(s). I'm sure you will be able to collaborate and determine which is the best course of treatment for your particular pulmonary condition.

    Please do check back and let us know how this all turns out for you.

    Wishing you well,
    Leon (site moderator COPD.net)

    Please read our rules before posting.
    visit this forum thread

    Recommended Forum

    Newly diagnosed and scared

    visit this forum thread

    Recommended Forum

    Pneumothorax changing PFT results?

    visit this forum thread

    Recommended Forum

    COPD emphysema