Supervalve to save lives
Doctors using new procedure
A fingernail-sized “supervalve” capable of saving lives of patients with breathing issues is available for the first time in Cairns. Cairns Private Hospital clinicians have fitted two patients with Zephyr endobronchial valves. The supervalve is designed to help patients breathe more efficiently by reducing the size of the diseased lung region. Dr Steve Vincent and Dr Graham Simpson carried out the non-surgical procedures.
A FINGERNAIL sized “supervalve” capable of saving the lives of patients with breathing difficulties is available for the first time in Cairns.
Cairns Private Hospital clinicians have fitted two patients with $4000 Zephyr endobronchial valves to assist them in breathing. It is a first in regional Queensland.
For patients with chronic lung diseases, such as emphysema, as lung tissue deteriorates, air gets trapped and causes the diseased region of the lung to expand, called hyperinflation.
Healthy regions become compressed and breathing becomes increasingly more difficult.
The supervalve is designed to help patients breathe more efficiently by reducing the size of the diseased lung region.
The hospital’s Dr Steve Vincent, who with colleague Dr Graham Simpson, recently carried out the non-surgical procedure on the two patients, described the small stent-like valve as a lifesaver.
“Previously, they used to do surgery where we removed an over-inflated part of lung which would theoretically reinflate the compressed lung,” he said.
“But there was a relatively high death rate and people were in hospital for a long time after their operation.”
Emphysema is a debilitating chronic disease that leads to shortness of breath and reduced quality of life.
The most common cause of emphysema is smoking.
More than 30 million patients have been diagnosed with the disease worldwide.
Dr Simpson said the procedure was currently only available at Cairns Private Hospital via medical insurance companies.
“We’re currently the first regional hospital in Queensland that has this new technology,” he said.
editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost