New York : A novel minimally invasive therapy that involves implantation of tiny coils into the lungs can improve exercise ability and quality of life for some lung patients, results of a large international trial have shown.
Aimed at tightening diseased tissue and opening up healthy airways, this experimental technique involves inserting several small metal alloy coils through a scope into the lungs, reports IANS.
Coil implantation could be an alternative to major lung-reduction surgery for patients with emphysema, a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
“Some patients with advanced emphysema have few treatment options, and this trial significantly furthers our understanding of the potential role of minimally invasive lung volume reduction therapy as an option to improve symptoms,” said lead author Frank Sciurba, professor at University of Pittsburgh in the US.
Patients with emphysema experience an over-inflation of the lungs that limits their ability to breathe deeply, resulting from progressive destruction of the air sacs of their lungs.
