END-STAGE LUNG DISEASE The Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center has made a major commitment to the treatment of patients suffering from end-stage lung disease. An important addition to CPMC has been the Jo-Anne F. LeBuhn Center for Chest Disorders and Respiratory Failure. This unit is attended by pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of advanced lung disease. Our on-site radiology and pulmonary-function laboratory facilitate a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to patients with end-stage lung disease. The Lung Transplant program, established in 1989, has performed over 150 lung transplants and continues to grow. In 1996, 25 lung transplants were performed, the highest volume of any center in the region. Mark E.Ginsburg, M.D., Principal Investigator of NIH-HCFA study of LVRS at CPMC Emphysema is the most common form of end-stage lung disease. Thoracic surgeons at CPMC have made major contributions to the treatment of this disorder and are recognized nationally as leaders in the exciting new area of lung-volume reduction surgery (LVRS). Initial results have been extremely good. To date, hundreds of patients crippled by emphysema have been able to resume active lives following LVRS. In 1996, CPMC was selected as one of the 18 participating sites in the NIH-sponsored randomized trial of LVRS. CPMC is the only designated center for this surgical procedure in the tri-state region. During the LVRS procedure, the most damaged areas of emphysematous lung are removed, allowing the residual lung to function better.