For people living with severe emphysema, also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD a new clinical study is currently underway at Franciscan Health System that may provide them better lung function through a new therapy that’s designed to improve the lung’s ability to expand more fully. This new procedure called lung volume reduction is the focus of a study which is currently seeking patients.
The study is underway at the Center for Advanced Endoscopy which is part of the St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. Interventional pulmonologist Navdeep Rai, MD with Pulmonary Consultants, PLLC is the principal study investigator. During the procedure Dr. Rai uses a video bronchoscope to precisely deliver nitinol coils (flexible medical wires) into the patient’s diseased lung tissue. The coil forms a predetermined shape which compresses the diseased tissue allowing the healthy lung tissue to expand while at the same time reducing the enlarged lung to normal size.
“A significant cause of shortness of breath in COPD patients results from over expanded diseased lung”, say Dr. Rai. “This procedure allows the lungs to return toward their normal size, allowing a person to exhale more fully which improves lung function and allows patients to enjoy a better quality of life without major surgery.”
About 10 coils are placed in each lung and patients are generally able to go home the same day. Adults must be 35 years old or older to quality for the study.
Talk to your doctor about the “RENEW” study and to see if you might be a candidate. Prospective trial participants can also take a brief screening survey at www.emphysema.com. You may also contact the Franciscan Research Center at253-426-6882 for more information.
Franciscan Health System includes St. Joseph Medical Center, Tacoma; St. Francis Hospital, Federal Way; St. Clare Hospital, Lakewood; St. Elizabeth Hospital, Enumclaw; St. Anthony Hospital, Gig Harbor; Highline Medical Center, Burien; Harrison Medical Center and Harrison HealthPartners, Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas; Regional Hospital, Tukwila; Franciscan Hospice House, University Place; Franciscan Medical Group clinics and providers, Pierce, King and Kitsap counties; and the Franciscan Foundation. Franciscan is part of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), a nonprofit, faith-based health system formed in 1996 through the consolidation of four Catholic health systems. One of the nation’s largest health systems, Englewood, Colo. –based CHI operates in 18 states and comprises 87 hospitals; 24 critical access facilities and other facilities that span the inpatient and outpatient continuum of care. In fiscal year 2013, CHI provided more than $762 million in charity care and community benefit, including services for the poor, free clinics, education and research. Learn more at www.fhshealth.org
