Simultaneous bilateral operations for bullous emphysema by median sternotomy.

Twelve patients with giant bilateral bullae underwent simultaneous bilateral operations via median sternotomy. All patients showed subjective as well as objective improvement and there was no mortality or morbidity. The clinical advantages of this simultaneous bilateral operation via median sternotomy are discussed and clinical data on one patient who had extensive bilateral bullous lesions with hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and severe dyspnea are presented in detail.