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Three Part Bronchial Thermoplasty Success

There are few treatments for individuals that have very severe asthma, where attacks have a deep impact on their quality of life. However, one new treatment that has been offered in the US since 2010 has been the so-called three-part bronchial thermoplasty. Recently, the first of the 25 patients that had undergone the procedure spoke about the difference it has made to her life.

Taylor Mosley, who suffered from severe asthma, was used to getting intensive care treatment once or twice a month. As a result of her health, she avoided taking part in sports, missed work and dropped out of college. However, in March she was the first person to have a three-part bronchial thermoplasty procedure. Since then, her health improved markedly and she stated that she had not needed to take time off work or gotten hospitalised for her asthma.

The procedure, which was approved by the FDA in 2010, was minimally invasive and is one of the most recent non-drug alternatives to steroid treatment for asthma. During the procedure, the clinicians inserted a small catheter into Miss Mosley’s lungs. They then used radio frequency energy to heat the lung tissue, which reduced the thickness of the smooth muscles that are known to become inflamed during an allergy attack. In addition to that, the heating process limited the muscles ability to constrict, which meant the patient would be able to breathe easier.

Although the treatment appears to be working, it is important to note that it should not be seen as a cure for asthma and that it is a treatment for the most severe cases of asthma. We are glad that Miss Mosley had good outcomes from the treatment. However, until some time has passed and more research evidence about three-part bronchial thermoplasty comes out, we remain cautiously optimistic of the treatment.

Details of an earlier study can be read here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21189463