Bronchial Thermoplasty

#KYJ Bronchial Thermoplasty

Have you lot heard much about this newish treatment.
I first heard about this treatment when I was teaching in our respiratory seminar and one of the nurses attending mentioned it. If you are listening nurse PW, thank you for getting the ball rolling.

Bronchial Thermoplasty- let's look at the word - bronchial, obviously means the Bronci and the larger bronchioles. Thermoplasty means the application of heat (Thermo) to create physical changes to tissue (plasty).

This is a procedure that can be performed under general anaesthesia for adults that meet certain severe asthma criteria. Usually requires a series of treatments a month apart each lasting about one hour.  I bronchoscoped is passed into the lungs, and a heating element is applied to the smooth muscle causing it to essentially scar and become hardened (stenosis).
This might sound like a bad idea but if you recall one of the fundamental pathophysiology's of asthma is that the smooth muscle surrounding the small airways undergo bronchospasm.  When stenosed, this is less likely.

For patients who have frequent asthma flareup, this treatment shows promise and reduces the number and severity of acute episodes. This treatment is not for everybody it's got a fairly hit and miss success rate the that is not that much better than (20-25%) placebo.  Interestingly, the research even demonstrated that up to 5% of asthmatic patients undergoing clinical trials, required more of their preventative medication after the treatment . This is no magic bullet, but if you were one of those patients in that success group, and it meant less asthma flareup and less preventative medication that arguably has its own problems; then I guess it's worth discussing treatment with your respiratory physician.

As you know it's asthma week this week.  If you have an opportunity to support research and treatment and ongoing knowledge in this field now would be a great time to surf over to the asthma Council of Australia website and the supporting foundations.  There is a lot to read, there is a lot to learn and that's all good for CPD.
For more information on Bronchial Thermoplasty and have a look at this link.
https://www.asthmaaustralia.org.au/national/about-asthma/manage-your-asthma/special-and-new-treatments

Link to AsthmaAustralia page