About Asthma
An estimated 25 million people in the U.S. suffer from asthma – a respiratory disease that causes the airways in the lungs to narrow and makes it difficult to breathe. For some, this condition can significantly impact their quality of life and, in some cases, can be life threatening.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America:
- Asthma currently affects over 26 million people.
- Each year, 10 Americans die from asthma
- Asthma was the main reason for 1.8 million emergency department visits during 2015
What is Bronchial Thermoplasty?
Bronchial thermoplasty is approved by the FDA for the treatment of severe persistent asthma in patients 18 years and older whose asthma is not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting “beta-agonists” that stimulate smooth muscle in the walls of airways to relax.
During the BT procedure, a bronchoscope is used to deliver a wire with an expandable, basket-like tip into the airways. Once in place, the basket is expanded and touches the airway walls where mild heat is delivered. The heat reduces the amount of excess smooth muscle tissue in the airways. Less muscle tissue means less airway constriction during an asthma attack. Patients can breathe more easily—and are less likely to have an asthma attack.
Unlike daily asthma medications, BT continues to work for years. BT is an add-on therapy to a patient’s current asthma medications, providing long-lasting benefits for patients, including a decrease in asthma attacks, fewer emergency room visits and improved asthma-related quality of life.
As with any procedure, there are risks, and individual results may vary. The most common side effect of BT is temporary worsening of respiratory-related symptoms. This side effect typically occurs within a day of the procedure and resolves within 7 days on average with standard care.