10039903_MCM_OCT2021

My Wellness

Ascension Gene Offers New Lun Valve Treatment Giving emphysema a COPD patients hope f better quality of life A scension Genesys Hos pital is offering a new treat Photos Courtesy of Pulmonx Made by Pulmonx (based in Redwood City, CA and Neuchâ tel, Switzerland) the Zephyr® endo

ment option for patients with severe emphysema, which is a form of chron ic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). A new type of endo bronchial valve, smaller than a pencil eraser, can be implanted without surgery or incisions to damaged areas of the lung, helping people who have advanced COPD to breathe easier and enjoy a better quality of life.

bronchial valve is the only such device to receive approval from the FDA for treatment of patients with homogenous distribu tion of the lung disease, making it the only min imally-invasive option to help control symp toms once medications are no longer effective. According to the American Lung Asso ciation, more than 16.4 million people have been diagnosed with COPD, with 3.5 million of those individuals having emphysema, which is caused when lung tissue becomes hyperinflated and damaged usually because of cigarette smoking or inhaled toxic chemicals/substances.

The Zephyr Valve treatment procedure implants tiny valves into a targeted section of the diseased lung where air has become trapped, causing shortness of breath. The one-way valve allows the trapped air to es cape, resulting in easier breathing. W

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M. Ghiath Bayasi, MD

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