Bronchial Thermoplasty
More than 25 million people in the U.S. have asthma, and approximately
5-10% suffer from severe asthma. To help combat this disease, Jupiter
Medical Center now offers Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT), delivered by the
Alari™ System. BT is a safe, outpatient procedure that is proven
to reduce asthma attacks and emergency room visits for at least five years
in adult patients with severe asthma, and is shown to improve asthma-related
quality of life for people living with the disease.
Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) has been shown to provide:
- 32% decrease in severe asthma attacks
- 84% decrease in emergency room visits for respiratory related symptoms
- 66% fewer days lost from work, school, and other activities due to asthma symptoms
- 79% of patients treated with BT saw a significant improvement in their
asthma-related quality of life
Prior to the BT procedure, doctors had only pharmaceutical medications
to offer their severe asthma patients, which offered temporary relief
from asthma symptoms. Jupiter Medical Center now has this first-of-its-kind
medical device procedure to provide severe asthma patients with a safe,
long-lasting, proven treatment option to help reduce asthma attacks.
The treatment works by using controlled radiofrequency to heat up the lungs,
coagulating the proteins in the smooth muscle fibers that can produce
bronchial spams. The tissue then becomes weaker, lessening its ability
to constrict the flow of oxygen.
“We want people suffering from asthma to know that this revolutionary
treatment is available. Our goal is to get people back to their daily
lives and this treatment makes that possible.” - Kenneth Fuquay,
MD, Medical Director of the Sleep Center and Respiratory Services at Jupiter
Medical Center.
The Bronchial Thermoplasty procedure is not a substitute for pharmaceutical
medication as prescribed by a doctor. It works along with pharmaceuticals
to provide less risk of asthma attacks and its complications for those
suffering from severe asthma.
A discussion with our health navigator can help determine if BT is right
for you. Call 561-263-4437.