Researchers at Pulmonary Associates to study airway bypass procedure for severe emphysemaFebruary 12, 2008Researchers at Pulmonary Associates today announced the start of the EASE (Exhale Airway Stents for Emphysema) Trial, an international, multi-center clinical trial to explore an investigational treatment that may offer a new, minimally invasive option for those suffering with advanced widespread emphysema. The trial focuses on airway bypass, a catheter-based bronchoscopic procedure designed to reduce lung hyperinflation and shortness of breath (the clinical hallmarks of emphysema/COPD) by making new pathways for trapped air to exit the lungs. During the minimally invasive procedure, new openings are created in the airway wall connecting the damaged lung tissue to the natural airway. These pathways are supported and kept open by Exhale Drug-Eluting Stents - manufactured by Broncus Technologies, Inc. The trial procedures will take place at the John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital. "We are excited to be part of this study because currently there are limited treatment options for patients with severe emphysema. Patients struggle with each breath," states Bernard Levine, MD, Principal Investigator of the study at Pulmonary Associates. "If we can reduce hyperinflation and improve lung function with airway bypass, patients will be able to breathe easier leading to a better quality of life." Emphysema, also known as COPD, is a characterized by a chronic, progressive, and irreversible destruction of lung tissue. The lungs lose their natural elasticity and are unable to exhale effectively, leading to air trapping within the lungs and lung overinflation. Breathing becomes inefficient and patients have to work very hard just to breathe - making normal activities, like walking, eating or even bathing, difficult. There are few treatment options for most patients with severe emphysema and there is no cure. "The airway bypass procedure could be an excellent option for those who are not suitable candidates for lung transplant surgery or who would possibly spend years on a lung transplant list," states Bernard Levine, MD, Principal Investigator. "Currently our center is the only place in the state of Arizona for patients to participate in the EASE Trial and potentially undergo this procedure." Physicians commonly use bronchoscopes to examine the airways within the lungs. During the airway bypass procedure physicians will first use a Doppler probe inserted through the bronchoscope to identify a site in the airway that is away from blood vessels. A special needle is then used to make a small opening and an Exhale® Drug-Eluting Stent is placed in the passageway to keep it open. The procedure involves placing up to six drug-eluting stents. The total time of the procedure is approximately one to two hours. This procedure is still under clinical investigation, but early data suggest it may hold promise for patients with emphysema. Broncus Technologies |
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| Related Emphysema Current Events and Emphysema News Articles U.S. and European Experts Applaud Creation of New Transatlantic Task Force on Global Antibiotic Resistance Threat Experts on both sides of the Atlantic applaud President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the European Union (EU) Presidency, for establishing a transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance, an urgent and growing problem that threatens patient safety and public health worldwide. Stereotactic radiotherapy offers noninvasive, effective treatment for frail patients with early-stage lung cancer Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) should be considered a new standard of care for early-stage lung cancer treatment in patients with co-existing medical problems, according to results from a national clinical trial led by UT Southwestern Medical Center physicians. Survey: Awareness of COPD is rising, but understanding is still low Awareness of COPD-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-continues to grow in the United States, according to national survey results released today by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. UT scientists discover link between protein and lung disease In a development that could lead to a novel approach to the treatment of a devastating lung disease, biochemists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston report they are the first to link the osteopontin (OPN) protein to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). New genes at work in patients with hereditary lung disease University of Florida researchers have safely given new, functional genes to patients with a hereditary defect that can lead to fatal lung and liver diseases, according to clinical trial findings slated to appear this week in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. New genes at work in patients with hereditary lung disease Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the University of Florida in Gainesville have safely given new, functional genes to patients with a hereditary defect that can lead to fatal lung and liver diseases. Scientists open doors to diagnosis of emphysema Chronic inflammatory lung diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema are a major global health problem, and the fourth leading cause of death and disability in developed countries, with smoking accounting for 90% of the risk for developing them. Emphysema severity directly linked to coal dust exposure Coal dust exposure is directly linked to severity of emphysema in smokers and nonsmokers alike, according to new research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Lung volume reduction surgery shown to prolong and improve life for some emphysema patients Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) can have a significantly beneficial effect in patients with severe emphysema, according to the first ever study to randomize emphysema patients to receive either LVRS or non-surgical medical care. Protein may be strongest indicator of rare lung disease, study shows Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) have discovered a protein in the lungs that can help in determining progression of the rare lung disease Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). More Emphysema Current Events and Emphysema News Articles |
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