What is a pulmonary air cyst (bullae)?

akciğer hava kisti bül nedir? — Patients with emphysema, especially those who have smoked for many years, but sometimes also non-smokers, may have air sacs-balloons in the lungs, which we call air cysts or bullae. These air sacs up to 1 cm in size are called blebs and those larger than 1 cm are called bullae. These air sacs can sometimes grow up to 10-15 cm. Since gas exchange cannot be carried out in these air sacs in order to clean the blood and at the same time this air sac presses on the healthy lung and prevents the healthy part from working well, it disrupts the patient’s breathing and causes shortness of breath.

Is a pulmonary air cyst dangerous?

Patients’ respiratory capacity measured before surgery may be reduced up to 20 to25 percent of of what is normally expected. On the other hand, these air sacs can rupture spontaneously or become inflamed and cause other unwanted problems (complications). A ruptured air cyst can cause a pneumothorax, also called a collapsed lung, which can be dangerous for the patient.

Should a pulmonary air cyst be operated on?
Air sacs that have reached large diameters in the lung or that cause shortness of breath or complications must be surgically removed. After surgery, patients’ shortness of breath improves and their effort capacity increases.

How should a pulmonary air cyst surgery be performed?

Single Port Vats Surgery in the Lung — Air Cyst Surgery with Single Port Vats

In cases such as pulmonary air cysts and bullae, surgery can be performed by open or closed (endoscopic) methods. Due to the difficulty of open surgery for the patient and its disruptive effect on breathing capacity, it is nowadays recommended that these surgeries should be performed by closed method.
With the videothoracoscopic (VATS) method, the part or parts of the lung with air cysts are removed by entering the chest cavity through a single hole. The operation time is short and postoperative results are satisfactory.

For detailed information, you can review our closed surgery method page.

What is the difference between a lung cyst and an air cyst?
Lung cysts should not be confused with air cysts (bullae) in the lung. A lung cyst is filled with fluid. It is almost always caused by a parasite in the lung called echinococcus, transmitted from carnivorous animals. An air cyst is, as the name suggests, a cyst with air inside.