Asthma Patient Will Breathe Easier for Years
RosaLee has severe asthma. It used to prevent her from doing the things she loves, like tending to her garden. But then her doctor told her about bronchial thermoplasty. It’s the latest, non-surgical technique for treating uncontrolled asthma.
After just a few treatments at Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Saint Vincent Hospital, RosaLee is breathing easier and spending more time pruning her flowers and watering her vegetables. She’s living proof that good asthma management and state-of-the art treatment can help patients with every breath they take.
New technique provides newfound relief
The Alair™ System for bronchial thermoplasty is the first non-surgical technique to treat severe asthma in adult patients approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
- It delivers a short burst of radio frequency energy that heats the lining of the lungs.
- This destroys some of the inflamed muscle tissue which hinders breathing during an asthma attack.
In most cases, patients like RosaLee receive three treatments, three weeks apart. They are monitored after the procedures and can usually return home the same day or the next day. They recover with fewer symptoms, milder asthma attacks and a better quality of life.
Bronchial thermoplasty is provided at Saint Vincent Hospital, Erie. It is clinically proven to reduce asthma attacks for up to five years. In patients treated:
- 79% reported a significant improvement in their quality of life.
- 66% reported that they lost fewer days from work and school related to asthma attacks.
Breathing easier in Erie
AHN offers comprehensive allergy and asthma services for all ages at Saint Vincent Hospital, Erie. Services include:
- Complete lung function testing
- Personalized asthma education, treatment and action plans
- State-of-the-art therapies for severe asthma
“You can control your asthma by knowing the warning signs of an asthma attack, staying away from things that can cause an attack and following your doctor’s advice,” said Kenneth D. Chinsky, MD, Saint Vincent Hospital pulmonologist.
Keeping children active
More than 25 million Americans suffer from asthma, and more than 9 percent of kids.
AHN helps 1,800 kids with asthma every year, so they can breathe, run, and play. We provide asthma care at several, convenient locations:
- Allegheny General Hospital
- Saint Vincent Hospital
- West Penn Hospital
- Wexford Health + Wellness Pavilion
Alair is a registered trademark of Boston Scientific Corporation or its affiliates.