New Airway Bypass for Emphysema Studied

U.S. medical scientists are joining an international team starting a study of a minimally invasive airway bypass treatment for emphysema patients.

Researchers at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in Sarasota, Fla., announced the start Monday of the Exhale Airway Stents for Emphysema Trial. The multi-center clinical trial will explore a treatment that might offer a significant new, minimally invasive option for those suffering with advanced widespread emphysema.

The study focuses on a procedure called airway bypass that involves creating pathways in the lung for trapped air to escape, thereby relieving emphysema symptoms.

We are excited to be part of this study because currently treatment options for the emphysema patients are very limited and many patients have a very poor quality of life, said Dr. Kirk Voelker, principal investigator of the study at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. By creating new pathways for airflow with the airway bypass procedure, we hope to reduce hyperinflation and improve lung function. If patients can breathe easier it is likely to improve their quality of life.

The trial will be conducted at centers in the United States, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom,