Factors associated with favourable or unfavourable outcome in classical bullectomy
| Parameter | Favourable | Unfavourable |
| Clinical | Rapid progressive dyspnoea despite maximal medical therapy | Older age |
| Ex-smoker | Co-morbid illness | |
| Cardiac disease | ||
| Pulmonary hypertension | ||
| >10% weight loss | ||
| Frequent respiratory infections | ||
| Chronic bronchitis | ||
| Physiological | Normal FVC or slightly reduced | FEV1 <35% pred |
| FEV1 >40% pred | Low trapped gas volume | |
| Little reversibility | Decreased DL,CO | |
| High trapped lung volume | ||
| Normal or near normal DL,CO | ||
| Normal Pa,O2 and Pa,CO2 | ||
| Imaging | ||
| CXR | Bulla >1/3 hemithorax | Vanishing lung syndrome |
| Poorly defined bullae | ||
| CT | Large and localised bulla with vascular crowding and normal pulmonary parenchyma around bulla | Multiple ill-defined bullae in underlying lung |
| Angiography | Vascular crowding with preserved distal vascular branching | Vague bullae; disrupted vasculature elsewhere |
| Isotope scan | Well-localised matching defect with normal uptake and washout for underlying lung | Absence of target zones, poor washout in remaining lung |
CXR: chest radiography
CT: computed tomography
FVC: forced vital capacity
FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second
DL,CO: carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of the lung
Pa,O2; arterial oxygen tension
Pa,CO2; arterial carbon dioxide tension
Table modified from 68