Giant bullous emphysema in the right middle lobe.

Giant bullous emphysema, or vanishing lung syndrome, typically occurs in young, thin male smokers with large bullae in one or more upper lobes occupying at least one-third of the hemithorax. We present here a rare case of giant bullous emphysema in a mid-age nonsmoking female who was seen for progressive shortness of breath and cough. Chest computed tomography found a giant bulla in the middle lobe of right lung. The patient underwent successful thoracoscopic bullectomy and is currently without residual symptoms.