[A contribution to bullous emphysema].

Bullous pulmonary emphysema is a disease predominantly occurring uni- or bilaterally in men. While smaller localized bullae in the apex of the upper lobes may be the cause of spontaneous pneumothorax in younger asthenic patients, it may be the cause of fatal situations in older patients by rupture of giant bullae. False diagnosis between partial spontaneous pneumothorax and bullous emphysema are common, even now. The therapy of choice in all patients with bullous emphysema and still sufficient pulmonary function is surgical treatment with taking away the bullae. Only in patients older than 70 years with cardiorespiratory failure a longer lasting drainage therapy seems to be indicated. The results of all cases with bullous emphysema (47) treated in the thoracicosurgical department of the Research Institute for Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis within 27 years are reported.