[cmsmasters_row data_shortcode_id=”d46d7c3b85″ data_padding_bottom=”50″ data_padding_top=”30″ data_color=”default” data_bot_style=”default” data_top_style=”default” data_width=”boxed”][cmsmasters_column data_shortcode_id=”f13a14ae43″ data_width=”2/3″][cmsmasters_text shortcode_id=”24a6bc7a97″ animation_delay=”0″]

Florida Lung Doctors’ Information Page: The Procedure For Bronchial Thermoplasty with the Alair System

(This material is condensed, paraphrased, and quoted from an expert medical site. Click for more reference details. )

Preliminary Note: Bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows the physician to examine and treat the lungs with an instrument called a bronchoscope. The bronchoscope is a long flexible tube that has a camera on one end and allows the physician to see inside the lungs without an incision.

Bronchial thermoplasty is delivered by the Alair® System and is performed in three outpatient procedure visits, each scheduled approximately three weeks apart.

  1. The first procedure treats the airways of the right lower lobe.
  2. The second treats the airways of the left lower lobe.
  3. The third and final procedure treats the airways in both upper lobes. After all three procedures are performed the bronchial thermoplasty treatment is complete.

Bronchial thermoplasty is performed during bronchoscopy, which is a minimally invasive procedure that is routinely performed by a physician trained in bronchoscopy, typically a pulmonologist.

The procedure is performed as follows:

  • You are appropriately prepped and placed under moderate sedation. Moderate sedation has also been called “twilight sleep” or “conscious sedation”. Moderate sedation is administered through an intravenous catheter (“IV”) to provide relaxation and to minimize discomfort.
  • You will feel drowsy and may even sleep through portions of the procedure, but at all times you will be easily awakened when spoken to or touched.
  • A standard flexible bronchoscope is introduced into the bronchial tree through either your nose or the mouth, and the Alair® Catheter is introduced into your airways through the bronchoscope.
  • The bronchoscope is then navigated to the first target treatment site, typically the most distal airway in the targeted lobe.
  • BT is delivered by the Alair® System, which is comprised of an Alair® Catheter and an Alair® Controller.
  • Once the Alair® Catheter is positioned at the desired location of your airway, the electrode array at the tip of the Alair® Catheter is expanded to contact your airway wall; the physician activates the Alair® Radiofrequency (RF) Controller to deliver RF energy through the Alair® Catheter to your airway wall.
  • The Alair® RF Controller delivers low-power, temperature-controlled RF energy to the airway for a maximum of 10 seconds per activation. The RF energy heats the wall of a portion of your airways in a controlled manner.
  • The application of heat to the airway wall is intended to reduce the amount of excessive airway smooth muscle present in the airways and limit its ability to contract and narrow the airway.
  • A single activation of the Alair® Catheter delivers RF energy over a distance of 5 mm (the length of the exposed electrodes of the electrode array). Audible and visual cues from the Alair® RF Controller signify proper delivery of RF energy.
  • After each activation, the Alair® Catheter is repositioned and subsequent activations are performed contiguously (adjacent but not overlapping) along with your airway. This technique is used in all of your accessible airways distal to the mainstem bronchi and = 3 mm in diameter.

The Alair® Catheter is deployed from the distal to the proximal end of your airway being treated. This process is repeated in all of your airways that are accessible and planned for that bronchoscopy session.

Following the procedure, you are monitored similarly to other bronchoscopy procedures. Good News: You will be discharged to home the same day if your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, the level of oxygen in the blood, and lung function tests are near normal levels.

[/cmsmasters_text][/cmsmasters_column][cmsmasters_column data_shortcode_id=”f9daaa3916″ data_width=”1/3″][cmsmasters_featured_block shortcode_id=”0eafec8628″ text_width=”100″ text_position=”center” text_padding=”40px 35px 45px 35px ” text_align=”right” fb_bg_color=”#3eb8d7″ top_padding=”0″ bottom_padding=”0″ animation_delay=”0″]

Our patients remain cornerstones of what we do and providing quality care is our top priority. We look forward to participating in the privilege of your care.

[cmsmasters_button shortcode_id=”28dc8dc1f5″ button_link=”https://floridalungdoctors.com/appointments/” button_target=”self” button_text_align=”center” button_font_weight=”normal” button_font_style=”normal” button_border_style=”solid” button_text_color=”#3eb8d7″ button_bg_color_h=”#f8981d” button_text_color_h=”#3eb8d7″ animation_delay=”0″]Schedule An Appointment[/cmsmasters_button]

[/cmsmasters_featured_block][cmsmasters_divider shortcode_id=”fb791dad9e” width=”long” height=”1″ position=”center” margin_top=”50″ margin_bottom=”50″ animation_delay=”0″][cmsmasters_featured_block shortcode_id=”0a1318badf” text_width=”100″ text_position=”center” text_padding=”40px 35px 45px 35px ” text_align=”left” fb_bg_color=”#3065b5″ top_padding=”0″ bottom_padding=”0″ animation_delay=”0″]

Procedures

[/cmsmasters_featured_block][/cmsmasters_column][/cmsmasters_row]