What Is Bronchial Thermoplasty?

^[1] Bronchial Thermoplasty ^[2-3] (Bronchial Thermoplasty, BT), a non-drug treatment for asthma. The Alair system is currently used in clinical bronchial thermoplasty equipment.

Bronchoplasty

Alair system

Bronchoplasty is a bronchoscope-mediated bronchoplasty system (Alair system) that transfers thermal energy to the airway wall and heats the tissue in a controlled manner in order to reduce the number of bronchial smooth muscle fibers and muscles. Mediates bronchoconstriction, thereby reducing asthma symptoms and preventing the condition from worsening.

During "bronchoplasty," the doctor calms the patient down and then inserts a bronchoscope from the patient's nose or throat into the branched airways of the lungs. This bronchoscope is actually a light-emitting catheter with a radio frequency device. The end is equipped with a basket made of wire, which can hit the wall of the airway after inflation. Radio frequency waves are transmitted through the metal wire, which can heat the smooth muscles below the airway to 65 degrees Celsius, which basically breaks down some muscle tissue. ^[1]

Explaining the mechanism of "bronchoplasty", the researchers said that airway stenosis caused by smooth muscle hyperplasia was the main cause of asthma. If the lungs are constantly irritated, the smooth muscles will gradually thicken and the airways will become habitually narrowed. "Broncho-thermoplasty" removes half of the proliferative smooth muscles, which makes the airway more open. In addition, just like roasting meat in a microwave oven will not burn the skin, this treatment will not burn the thin inner layer of the airway. ^[3]

Gerald Cox, a researcher at McMaster University of Canada, published the first report on "bronchoplasty" in the May issue of the American Journal of Respiratory Diseases and Intensive Nursing Medicine. The report said that they followed 16 patients with asthma for two years. It was found that within a few days after receiving treatment, cough and wheezing symptoms were common, but once the lung irritation disappeared, these discomfort symptoms disappeared. On subsequent asthma tests, most of them breathed more easily. After 3 months, their asthma symptoms completely disappeared. However, Dr. Michael Silver of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago warned that it would take at least five years of follow-up observations to understand the side effects of this treatment. ^[1]

According to reports, the clinical trial of "bronchoplasty" has officially started, and 29 medical institutions including 17 US hospitals worldwide are recruiting volunteers for asthma. These medical institutions will also jointly build a database of the status of patients receiving this treatment. ^[1]