Endobronchial Valve Placement: Too Much Risk for the Benefit?

Synopsis: the STELVIO trial randomized patients without collateral interlobar ventilation to receive endobronchial valves or standard care as a treatment for severe COPD. Although improvement in the lung function and the exercise capacity was observed in the valve group, a significant rate of pneumothorax was also observed. Source: Klooster K, Ten HAcken NHT, Hartman JE et al. Endobronchial valves for emphysema without interlobar collateral ventilation. NEJM. 2015; 373: 2325–35.
Source: Clinical Pulmonary Medicine - Category: Respiratory Medicine Tags: Pulmonary Trends Source Type: research