Improvement of Post-operative Activities of Daily Living in an Aged Patient with Vanishing Lung

Abstract

A 71-year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to progressive dyspnea. The right lung of this patient was replaced by multiple bulous lesions including giant bullae. He had severe deterioration of lung function and gas exchange. He did not complete the pre-operative examinations for thoracic surgery, but improvement in ventilatory function was expected after bullectomy. After multiple bullectomy, this case showed marked improvements in lung function and gas exchange, subsequently his dyspnea improved, as did his activities of daily living. These lung functional improvement may have resulted not only from the mechanical advantage of diaphragmatic motion due to removal of space—occupying lesion of the lung, but also from the reduction of tough fibrous adhesion between the lung and the parietal pleura which had impaired smooth lung movement. Thorough evaluation of operative indications is necessary before surgery in aged patients with lung diseases. © 1994, The Japan Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved.