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Lung volume reduction surgery is used to improve breathing in some people with severe emphysema, a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). During surgery, small wedges of damaged lung tissue are removed to allow the remaining tissue to function better. There is a fairly rigorous process to qualify as a candidate for the surgery. After Read more…

A lung transplant is a surgical procedure to replace a diseased or failing lung with a healthy lung, usually from a deceased donor. Depending on your medical condition, a lung transplant may involve replacing one of your lungs or both of them. In some situations, the lungs may be transplanted along with a donor heart.

Lung cancer screening is a test to look for signs of lung cancer in otherwise healthy people. Lung cancer screening is recommended for older adults who are longtime smokers. Doctors use a low-dose computerized tomography (CT) scan of the lungs to look for lung cancer. If lung cancer is detected at a very early stage, Read more…

Lumpectomy (lum-PEK-tuh-me) is surgery to remove cancer or other abnormal tissue from your breast. Lumpectomy is also called breast-conserving surgery or wide local excision because — unlike a mastectomy — only a portion of the breast is removed. Doctors may also refer to lumpectomy as an excisional biopsy. During lumpectomy, a small amount of normal Read more…

Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is performed in your lower back, in the lumbar region. During lumbar puncture, a needle is inserted between two lumbar bones (vertebrae) to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid — the fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord to protect them from injury. A lumbar puncture can help diagnose serious Read more…

People who have experienced a spinal cord injury (SCI) or dysfunction may benefit from locomotor training, an activity-based therapy. Locomotor training is a type of therapy to help improve and recover your walking movement through challenged practice and lower extremity weight bearing. You may benefit from therapy to recover locomotor abilities if you’re experiencing: Impaired Read more…

A liver transplant is a surgical procedure to remove a diseased liver and replace it with a healthy liver from a donor. Most liver transplant operations use livers from deceased donors, though a liver may also come from a living donor. The number of people waiting for new livers is much larger than the number Read more…