Is Bullectomy the Same as Lung Volume Reduction Surgery?
You may have heard of lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS), which is a surgical technique to remove a piece or pieces of the lung. Bullectomy is a different procedure. There is usually only one large bulla that is removed during a bullectomy. Patients treated with LVRS have a different type of emphysema, with smaller, nonfunctioning air sacs that are distributed more widely through the lungs. During LVRS, the surgeon removes a piece of the lung, which includes many of these smaller, nonfunctioning air sacs.
