Bronchial Thermoplasty

A new treatment option for severe asthma sufferers is available at MultiCare Deaconess Hospital. Bronchial thermoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that uses thermal energy to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, making it easier for patients to breathe and improve their quality of life.

How Does Bronchial Thermoplasty Treat Asthma?

Asthma is chronic inflammation of the airways with episodic narrowing (also known as bronchoconstriction). Symptoms include coughing, wheezing and chest tightness, which often come on suddenly in the form of an asthma attack. Persistent inflammation can eventually cause the airway's smooth muscle to thicken, which restricts air flow and makes breathing difficult. Bronchial Thermoplasty is the first asthma treatment aimed at reducing the muscle thickness and mass, making room for easier airflow.

What is the Procedure Like?

Through a series of three outpatient visits, Bronchial Thermoplasty is performed in the MultiCare Deaconess GI/Pulmonary Center and takes about an hour to complete. The minimally invasive procedure, like many other flexible endoscopy procedures, is done under moderate sedation. No incision is necessary. Post-procedure, patients typically are observed and monitored for approximately 2-4 hours.

What are the Benefits of This Procedure?

Clinical studies of this treatment have demonstrated sustained improvements in asthma control up to five years following the treatment. Treated patients not only enjoyed improved asthma-related quality of life at years one, three and five following treatment with fewer severe asthma attacks, fewer visits to the emergency room for respiratory symptoms, and fewer days lost from work/school or other daily activities due to asthma symptoms.

First Provider in the Inland Northwest

MultiCare Rockwood Health System is the first provider of this treatment in the Inland Northwest. Jiten Patel, MD, of MultiCare Rockwood Clinic is the first physician performing this procedure in Spokane. Learn more about the Pulmonary Critical Care Center at Rockwood Clinic.