SHARES
COPD is a chronic lung disease that progressively damages the lung. The common treatment approaches are lifestyle changes, medication, and oxygen therapy. However, there are some new treatments for COPD that will change patients’ lives significantly.
Valve surgery in COPD
COPD patients have ballooned out (hyper-inflated) lungs. This is because chronic inflammation breaks down the supporting wall between air sacs. As a result, the air sacs get larger when air goes in. In valve surgery, your surgeon uses a bronchoscope to insert a one-way valve into your airway to let the air out but not into the lung. This prevents the lung from becoming over-inflated. You will experience less symptoms and feel better. However, the surgery is not suitable for every patient because the valve surgery only works if the damage is at the area of the lung where the surgery is applicable.
Robotic Lung Volume Reduction Surgery
Normally, during lung volume reduction surgery, a large part of your damaged lung is incised and removed. But now a modified version of lung volume reduction surgery is available. The Robotic Lung Volume Reduction Surgery only makes 3 small incisions on the right side of the heart by using a robotic device. The device made up of 3 robotic arms that hold the surgical instrument and one holding the 3D camera. It allows the surgeon to view a more detailed 3D view of the operation sites. The pros of the surgery include reduced scarring, minimal infection risk, and shorter hospital stay.
Targeted Lung Denervation
Using radiotherapy, the procedure deactivates the nerve transmission outside the bronchi. This can be done by inserting a catheter through the bronchoscope and into the lungs. The interruption of the nerve transmission will cause permanent widening of the bronchioles (broncho-dilation), reduction in mucus production and reduced airway inflammation. The aim of the treatment is to reduce the frequency of COPD aggravations.
Bronchial Rheoplasty
Bronchial Rheoplasty is used to reduce the cells that producing excess mucus. Contrary to the Targeted Lung Denervation, electrical energy is used instead of radiotherapy. The burst of electrical energy travels to the inner wall of bronchi, causing the cells that produce excess mucus to die. Less mucus- producing cells will then replace these dead cells.
Stem cell therapy
Emphysema (damaged and enlarged air sacs of the lungs), is one of the two conditions of the COPD. Over many years, air sacs grow too big due to the wall collapse between the air sacs (alveoli). Consequently, patients suffer from shortness of breath. Stem cell therapy is not well established yet for now, more research and clinical trials need to be done. Put simply, the idea behind it is you use stem cells to create more alveolar cells.
Conclusion
New medical advances can improve your disease condition significantly and make you feel a lot better. However, it is still a challenge to cure COPD completely. Learn from your doctor today on how to prevent your COPD from worsening!
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References
1. Susan B. 5 new medical breakthroughs for COPD patients [WebMD]. WebMD LLC. 2019. [Available from: https://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/features/copd-new-treatments#1; last accessed on 2019 Oct 25]
2. New treatments for COPD: what RTs need to know [Internet]. AARC. 2019. [Available from: http://www.aarc.org/nn19-new-treatments-for-copd-what-rts-need-to-know/; last updated on 2019 Feb 21; last accessed on 2019 Oct 25]
by Chang Xian
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