Patients become believers (and better breathers!) with BLVR

Lutheran Hospital now offers bronchoscopic lung volume reduction, known as BLVR, for patients with severe COPD who meet strict criteria.

During the minimally-invasive procedure, small one-way valves are placed into the airways to allow trapped air to escape the lungs. This reduces lung hyperinflation, which can cause dangerous breathing issues and heart conditions.

“There are no great medical options for treating COPD, but BLVR allows us to reverse the irreversible, helping to restore easier breathing and quality of life to patients with a procedure that takes just under an hour,” said John Ferguson, MD, Pulmonary Disease.

To be eligible for the procedure, patients need to be suffering an airflow restriction of 15 to 50 percent, with no cardiac comorbidities. They need to have maximized their prescription options and be participating in a pulmonary rehab program. They must be non-smokers.

Because BLVR is effective only for select patients, individuals undergo a comprehensive outpatient evaluation before the procedure. That evaluation includes CT imaging, pulmonary-function testing and a clinical review of medical history. A high-tech mapping of their lung function with proprietary software predicts their unique benefit from a BLVR procedure.

Ferguson says typical patients can expect a 15 percent relative increase in airflow.

“Patients report feeling better almost immediately,” Ferguson said. “Many people struggling with severe emphysema or other COPD conditions feel hopeless because the underlying cause of their illness can’t be corrected. But for the right patients, BLVR can make a meaningful improvement in quality of life.”

Patients typically spend three nights in the hospital after the procedure. They continue their COPD medications upon discharge.

Ferguson would like to give a shoutout to Amber Perez, Lutheran’s supervisor of Respiratory Care Services, for coordinating the effort to bring BLVR to Lutheran’s patients.

Physicians who would like to learn more about the procedure can contact Ferguson at john.ferguson@ccpcmd.com.