In simple words: If part of your lung is removed or shrinks, the remaining lung tissue expands to fill the empty space. This can cause the expanded tissue to become overinflated with air, leading to a condition called compensatory emphysema.

Compensatory emphysema is a condition characterized by the overinflation of lung tissue.It typically occurs after the removal or shrinking of other lung tissue, creating a void that adjacent lung tissue expands to fill. This expansion results in an area of the lung containing more air than normal.

Example 1: A patient who underwent a lobectomy (surgical removal of a lobe of the lung) develops compensatory emphysema in the remaining lung tissue., A patient with a history of tuberculosis has a scarred and shrunken area of the lung. The surrounding healthy lung tissue expands, exhibiting features of compensatory emphysema., Following a lung abscess that resolved, the affected area contracted, leading to compensatory changes in the adjacent healthy lung tissue.

Documentation should support the presence of compensatory emphysema, often through imaging studies such as chest X-rays or CT scans. The underlying cause, such as prior surgery, infection, or other lung disease, should also be documented.