HYDERABAD: For the first time in India, the procedure of Bronchoscopic Thermal Vapour Ablation (BTVA), which is an endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR) treatment was done at the Yashoda Hospital. The procedure is known to help reduce hyperinflation and improve respiratory mechanics in patients with severe emphysema.
Emphysema is a sub-type of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) wherein the air sacs within the lungs are destroyed. The patient who received the procedure at Yashoda Hospital was a 65-year-old man, previously a chain-smoker, who was nearly bed-ridden due to a lack of oxygen absorption
“A-65-year old male was struggling to breathe when he entered my OPD. Over the previous five years, he has complained of increasing dyspnea and cough. He smoked 10-15 cigarettes every day until he was 55 years old. He was diagnosed with COPD by multiple physicians and his symptoms were worsening even though he was on three different inhalers. He couldn’t walk more than 100 steps without panting for air. We examined what could be done to make his life easier,” said Dr V Nagarjuna Maturu, Consultant Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad.
His team then decided to perform the BTVA procedure as a last option. “The diseased parts of the lung are collapsed/made non-functional in this sort of lung volume reduction operation. As a result of this, the adjacent healthier segments function better. This also results in a reduction in lung over-inflation, making breathing more simpler for the patient. The person’s symptoms improve after the treatment, and their quality of life improves, added, Dr Maturu.
Overnight procedure
The procedure involved in this is using a CT scan of the chest. The software then determines which parts/segments of the lung are the most diseased. After this, a catheter is directed to the target segment under general anaesthesia, and regulated steam is administered to that area. Patients are kept in the hospital overnight after the procedure and then discharged. It takes about two-three months to feel the benefits of the procedure, added experts.
Over the last three months, Dr Maturu has performed four surgeries for patients with severe emphysema using BTVA. All the patients are improving after the therapy, he said, adding that this could be a new leading alternative treatment for COPD patients.
Path-breaking
Lung volume reduction operation
Consultant Pulmonologist Dr Nagarjuna Maturu at Yashoda Hospitals performed BTVA for the first time in India on an elderly man whose lungs were badly affected due to his smoking habits. The diseased parts of the lung are collapsed/made non-functional in this sort of lung volume reduction operation. As a result of this, the adjacent healthier segments function better.