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Lung Volume Reduction Surgery Expertise
Why Choose Stanford?
Current medical treatments of emphysema provide some relief, but there is no medical therapy that dramatically improves emphysema patients' shortness of breath or improves their survival. However, lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) may be a viable solution for qualifying patients. LVRS is a surgical treatment for emphysema that could dramatically improve symptoms and, in many cases, increase longevity. This newer surgical treatment has substantially changed the way emphysema is treated in many cases.
Dr. Joseph B. Shrager has performed over 150 lung volume reduction surgeries (LVRS) with substantial improvement in shortness of breath and quality of life in nearly all patients and with a mortality rate of 0.67% (less than one-fifth of the mortality rate identified in the major published series of LVRS in appropriately selected patients).
Read the publication describing Dr. Shrager's first 50 bilateral LVRS operations.
Dr. Shrager will be glad to personally review the CT scans (not the report only) and PFTs of potential patients who are candidates for LVRS prior to scheduling a patient visit. This information can be mailed to:
Dr. Joseph Shrager
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Falk Building
300 Pasteur Dr. MC 5407
Stanford, CA 94305-5407
Telephone: 650-721-2086
He will review these materials to determine the patient's initial candidacy for the operation, then arrange a patient visit if he thinks it is likely that he can help the patient with LVRS.
For patients who are not good candidates for surgical LVRS, we have an ongoing clinical trial of using stereotactic radiotherapy (sometimes called "SABR" or "Cyberknife") to create lung volume reduction. We are studying this therapy, termed "SAVR" (stereotactic ablative volume reduction) to determine whether it can have the same or similar benefits as surgical LVRS.