What is Bronchial Thermoplasty?

Question: What is Bronchial Thermoplasty?

Answer: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a new form of treatment for severe asthma that involves the delivery of thermal energy to the airways of the lungs. This energy serves to decrease the amount of smooth muscle within the lungs, which results in less muscle to constrict around the airways, and therefore fewer asthma symptoms. BT was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of severe asthma that doesn’t get better with typical asthma medicines.

The Alair System®, which uses bronchial thermoplasty technology, is the only non-drug therapy approved for the treatment of asthma. A recent study, published in 2010, compared the effects of BT to placebo (“sham” or fake bronchial thermoplasty) in patients with asthma not controlled on high-dose inhaled steroids, long-acting beta-agonists or other asthma medications. The study found that people undergoing bronchial thermoplasty had fewer asthma fare-ups requiring oral corticosteroids, fewer emergency room visits, less time missed from work or school as a result of asthma symptoms, and overall improvement in asthma control.

As expected, bronchial thermoplasty is associated with quite a few side effects, especially within a day or two of the procedure. Most people experienced some form of side effects, most commonly irritation or infection of the lungs, and nearly 10% had to be hospitalized as a result of complications from the procedure. Despite this, most side effects weren’t life threatening, and most people got better within a day or two after the procedure.

If you’re thinking you might want to try bronchial thermoplasty, you probably need to try typical asthma medicines first. This new therapy isn’t for everyone; it takes multiple procedures to complete and has high rates of side effects. It also isn’t known how long the benefits will last and how often the procedure needs to be repeated. What's more, it isn't known if fewer asthma medicines are needed after the procedure. For now, bronchial thermoplasty offers a unique treatment option for people with severe asthma that don’t get better on typical asthma medicines.

Learn more about the causes and treatment of severe asthma.

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_{Castro M, Rubin AS, Laviolette M, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of Bronchial Thermoplasty in the Treatment of Severe Asthma. Am J Crit Care Med. 2010;181:116-124. DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this site is for educational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for personal care by a licensed physician. Please see your physician for diagnosis and treatment of any concerning symptoms or medical condition.}