The flexible bronchoscopic approach to lung volume reduction.

Surgical lung volume reduction is effective in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because it improves the ratio between residual lung volume and total lung volume. The same effect may be achieved by inducing an iatrogenic atelectasis in one or more lung lobes using a flexible bronchoscopic approach. This article discusses the origin and the progress, up to date, of this new minimally invasive flexible bronchoscopic approach.