Emphysema is a progressive, debilitating disease of the lung that affects millions of people worldwide. The most common cause of emphysema is cigarette smoking, although genetic and occupational causes account for up to 10 percent of cases.
Emphysema is a unique form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease characterized by irreversible destruction of the tissue or “fabric” of the lung. The tissue of the normal lung is elastic and responsible for our ability to exhale. In emphysema, lung tissue loses its elasticity and the lungs enlarge and become filled with more and more air which can not be expelled. As emphysema worsens, patients develop exercise limitation, disabling shortness of breath, and reduced quality of life.
There is no cure for emphysema today, and medications that are currently used to treat the disease are marginally effective. Treatment traditionally consists of various drugs designed to open the airways that lead to the lungs, supplemental oxygen and pulmonary rehabilitation. While oxygen can help with breathing, drugs are generally of limited benefit because emphysema is principally a disease of lung tissue and not a disease of the airways.
Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) involves surgically opening the chest and cutting away the most diseased portions of the lungs. While effective for some emphysema patients, this procedure is extremely invasive. Post-surgical complications occur in a majority of patients, and include persistent air leaks, respiratory failure, heart beat irregularities, and infections. About 5 percent of patients die within 90 days of surgery.
The AeriSeal System is a minimally-invasive alternative to LVRS. It was developed to produce the beneficial effects of lung volume reduction without the complications associated with surgery.
For more information on the AeriSeal System, please see our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us.
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