Endoscopic Long Volume Reduction by Endobronchial Valves in Belgium

The primary objective of the current study is to explore the effect of targeted lobar endobronchial lung volume reduction in symptomatic patients with severe emphysema and absent collateral ventilation, on lung function, exercise capacity and physical activity. As a secondary objective, changes in physical activity as result of a 3 month activity coaching program delivered between 3 to 6 months post intervention will be investigated. Exploratory objectives are to extend insight in the clinical characteristics of responders and non-responders and to address relationships between lung function response, physical functioning and its impact on inflammation, skeletal and cardiac function. Furthermore, comparison of the effects on lung function, exercise capacity, quality of life and physical activity between endoscopic lung volume reduction and surgical lung volume reduction will be made. The study will also explore if treatment response can be optimised by an intermediate evaluation with CT scan one month after intervention. Endoscopic evaluation and repositioning of the endobronchial valves will be imposed in case no lober atelectasis is visualised. .