#19, S2 Breathing New Life into Emphysema Care

n this episode of Thinking Thoracic, podcast hosts Hari Keshave, MD, and Erin Gillaspie, MD, talk with J. W. Awori Hayanga, MD, West Virginia University Medicine, about his recent study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery on surgical interventions for end-stage emphysema. The conversation highlights symptom burden, a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, and the latest data on lung volume reduction surgery.  Article references:   Hayanga JWA, Luo X, Reddy S, Mehaffey JH, Rothenberg P, Chauhan D, Rajjoub H, Mascio C, Baker N, Badhwar V, Lamb J, Toker A. Endobronchial Valve Therapy vs Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in the United States. Ann Thorac Surg. 2025 Nov;120(5):917-925. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2025.06.053. Epub 2025 Jul 19. PMID: 40691922; PMCID: PMC12542816   Hayanga JWA, Voppuru S, Bham N, Hansen A, Mehaffey JH, Rajjoub H, Reddy S, Badhwar V, Lamb J. Higher Costs and Lower Reimbursement of Endobronchial Valve Therapy vs Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in the United States. Ann Thorac Surg. 2026 Jan;121(1):174-180. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2025.09.033. Epub 2025 Nov 6. PMID: 41205846.