About Emphysema

Emphysema is a debilitating lung disease that results from the destruction of the alveoli, or air sacs, in the lungs.  Some common symptoms of emphysema include shortness of breath, fatigue, coughing, wheezing, and frequent respiratory infections.

Current treatment options for emphysema include:

• Medication:  Patients with emphysema often use bronchodilators to open the airways and corticosteroids to reduce lung inflammation.  In addition, antibiotics are often prescribed to treat or prevent the onset of infection which aggravates the disease.

• Breathing support:  Some patients may use long-term supplemental oxygen to help with breathing.

• Surgery: Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS) can be performed to remove diseased lung tissue.  Although LVRS is an effective treatment, based on the National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT), there are many serious risks and morbidities associated with open surgery. 

• RePneu Lung Volume Reduction Coil (LVRC):  The RePneu LVRC is designed to perform a less invasive lung volume reduction through a bronchoscope, thus reducing the risks and morbidities associated with LVRS.  In addition to the RePneu LVRC, a few other medical devices are available for the treatment of emphysema in Europe but have not been approved for use in the United States.

• A complete patient treatment is two procedures, which is usually separated by at least one month.  On average 10 coils would be implanted each time, one lung per procedure.