Our Lady of the Lake Health recently completed more than 60 successful bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) procedures.
BLVR is a revolutionary, minimally invasive procedure to assist patients with difficulty breathing due to severe COPD/emphysema. The one-time procedure uses the first FDA-approved endobronchial valve designed to help COPD/emphysema patients breathe easier without major surgery.
BLVR can improve the quality of life for patients by allowing them to breathe easier, be less short of breath, and be more active and energetic. It utilizes one-way valves that are inserted during a simple bronchoscopy that requires no cutting or incisions. During the procedure, an average of four small valves are placed in a patient’s airways to block off the diseased parts of the lungs where air gets trapped, called hyperinflation. This permits the healthier parts of the lungs to expand and take in more air, allowing patients to breathe easier and have less shortness of breath.