Advances and applications of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction.

Lung volume reduction surgery usually gives rise to high postoperative morbidity and impedes its further application. Recently, a plethora of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction techniques such as one-way endobronchial valves, biological sealants, thermal vapor ablation, airway bypass stents and lung volume reduction coils have been extensively used in emphysema treatment. The current data for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction although not conclusive enough do present multiple safer ways compared with conventional surgery with few serious complications, lower cost and shortened hospital care. The bronchoscopic lung volume reduction will undergo continuous development as constant randomized trials are performed to prove its full efficacy.