Saint Francis Hospital Now Offering Zephyr Valve® Treatment for Patients with Severe COPD and Emphysema

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Saint Francis Hospital is pleased to announce it is now offering a new lung valve treatment for patients with severe cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema, providing a major enhancement in the options available to patients with these debilitating lung diseases. The first bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) procedure at Saint Francis using a Zephyr® Valve was performed by Anil Magge, M.D., Director of Interventional Pulmonology, on Thursday, March 30. Zephyr Valves received breakthrough device designation and were approved by the FDA in 2018.

BLVR treatment is a non-surgical procedure to treat advanced emphysema by placing tiny valves in the airways. The procedure takes about an hour and requires no cutting or incisions. During BLVR, an interventional pulmonologist will place an average of four valves in the airways to help patients breathe easier and experience a better quality of life.

“Having a minimally invasive procedure available to help patients with this disease is very exciting,” said Dr. Magge. “Patients with severe COPD and emphysema often struggle with each breath despite medication and oxygen therapy. Prior to valve treatments, the only options for relief were highly invasive treatments including lung transplant.”

The Zephyr Valve procedure expands treatment options available to patients with COPD at Saint Francis. Daniel Gerardi, M.D., Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at Saint Francis also performs BLVR procedures with the Spiration® Valve System. For patients potentially in need of a BLVR procedure, the interventional pulmonology team conducts a diagnostic workup, including include pulmonary function testing, to determine if a patient is a candidate for BLVR treatment, and which is the best valve for each individual.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer our patients two options when it comes to BLVR treatment,” said Dr. Gerardi. “Patients with severe COPD and emphysema struggle to catch their breath while doing everyday tasks. Having additional tools to help our respiratory patients breathe easier and live fuller lives is incredible.”

According to the American Lung Association, more than 15 million Americans suffer from COPD and 3.5 million of those patients have emphysema, a severe form of COPD, which is a progressive and life-threatening disease. There is no cure, and patients live with severe shortness of breath that keeps them from doing simple daily activities such as walking or even eating without pausing to catch their breath or resting. Despite using COPD medications, over one million emphysema patients continue to suffer symptoms of hyperinflation, in which air becomes trapped in parts of the lung that are damaged by the disease and prevents new air from coming in, causing severe shortness of breath.

For more information on BLVR treatments at Trinity Health Of New England, please visit www.trinityhealthofne.org/valves.