Asthma Education Program
Ellis Medicine is proud to be the first hospital in the Capital Region to offer the Bronchial Thermoplasty procedure for patients with severe asthma.
Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) is an FDA approved treatment for asthma patients, over the age of 18, whose asthma is severe and not well controlled. This clinically proven procedure has been shown to improve quality of life for patients.
Benefits of Bronchial Thermoplasty
- Quick return to normal activities
- Improved asthma control
- Reduced frequency of asthma attacks
- Reduced visits to the emergency room
- Reduced hospitalization for respiratory symptoms
- Reduced missed days from work or school
About the Procedure
This outpatient procedure often takes less than an hour to complete. Using a bronchoscope, a physician inserts a catheter into the patient’s lungs through either the mouth or nose. The tip of the catheter is expanded to touch the walls of the airway, where it delivers controlled radiofrequency energy along the length of the airway walls in 10 second bursts. This heats the walls, reducing some of the extra muscle present, allowing the airways to stay open and help the patient breathe better.
The Bronchial Thermoplasty procedure is performed in three separate treatment sessions- each scheduled approximately three weeks apart. After each session, patients are monitored for 2-4 hours and discharged home the same day, where they can usually resume their everyday activities immediately.
Am I a candidate for Bronchial Thermoplasty?
Bronchial Thermoplasty is offered to those asthma patients who are categorized as "severe-persistent", and who are over the age of 18. Further consultation with a pulmonologist will help determine whether you are a proper candidate to benefit from this procedure.
To read patient stories and to find out if BT is for you, click here.
To learn more about Bronchial Thermoplasty or the Asthma Care program at Ellis, please call 518.347.LUNG (5864).