Original Abstract
BACKGROUND: The efficacy of a novel technique-percutaneous aspiration sclerotherapy for staged volume reduction of giant single bulla-in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) combined with pulmonary bullae remains unclear. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 40 COPD patients with pulmonary bullae who underwent the novel percutaneous aspiration sclerotherapy for staged volume reduction of giant single bulla technique. Pulmonary bullae size, pulmonary function, blood gas analysis, six-minute walk test (6MWT), modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) score and St. George 's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were assessed before and after the procedure. Related complications were also recorded. RESULTS: The average size of the giant bullae in the 40 patients was 12.67 ± 2.49 cm. Compared with preoperative data, PaO, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1%, forced vital capacity (FVC), FVC%, 6MWT, mMRC score, and SGRQ score were all significantly improved in 40 patients after surgery (p 0.05); Pneumothorax was detected in 14 patients. Twelve patients with hemoptysis had small amounts of hemoptysis; eight patients had a fever, and nine patients experienced chest pain. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous aspiration sclerotherapy for staged volume reduction of giant single bulla is a feasible treatment for pulmonary bullae, involving a straightforward procedure. Nevertheless, its long-term clinical efficacy remains to be further validated in follow-up studies.