It is tough to make predictions, especially about the future.

摘要

End-stage emphysema is a horrible because incurable and invalidating disease. Prior to the advent of lung transplantation - which is in fact the only definitive but obviously very limited therapy - surgeons have tried to improve pulmonary function by resecting (the most diseased) portions of the lung. Essentially, this lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is thought to improve matching of the size of the lung to the size of the hemithorax containing it, and to allow the space previously occupied by the sickest lung to be reclaimed by more normal lung [1]. Although all of this might be true, the bottom line question is: did it make patients better? Because of the amazing power of expectations of patients as well as physicians in new treatments and techniques, controlled trials (preferably with sham procedures in the case of device trials) are mandatory [2].