A new "flash freezing" procedure can offer relief for people suffering from bronchitis, and trials are now offered in two medical facilities in London, UK.
The new procedure, called RejuvenAir, is now available as a part of a trial procedure at the Chelsea & Westminster and Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust facilities. RejuvenAir involves blasting liquid nitrogen, at -196 degrees Celsius, or almost -321 degrees Fahrenheit, inside the patient's lungs in a half-hour procedure.
COPD and CB
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) refers to an umbrella of chronic lung conditions that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs. Among their shared symptoms include excessive mucus production, breathing difficulties, and shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing.
Chronic Bronchitis is known as the most common type of COPD. There are two types of bronchitis: acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is very common, usually developing from a common cold or other respiratory infection, and usually gets better over time. Chronic bronchitis, on the other hand, is not curable, although several medications only help relieve its symptoms.
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The second type of bronchitis is often acquired from long-term exposure to irritants and pollutants that repeatedly irritate the airways. Among the common demographic that contracts chronic bronchitis are smokers.
According to the British Lung Foundation (BLF), the only charitable institution in the UK that promotes lung health and supports people suffering from lung diseases, an estimated 1.2 million people suffer from diagnosed COPD. It was more than the Department of Health estimate of 835,000 people back in 2011.
RejuvenAir
The RejuvenAir system is a cryosurgical device that delivers a controlled dosage, a "metered cryospray," through the lungs by using a minimally invasive probe. The cryospray destroys damaged cells and encourages the growth of new living tissues.
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Flash freezing the tissues with -196°C medical grade liquid nitrogen instantly kills dysfunctional cells, mostly the surface epithelium overgrew with mucin-producing goblet cells. The process, however, preserves the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM that remains intact begins healing with only limited scarring and fibrosis.
The process only requires a tube with a camera that is inserted through the patient's mouth, down the throat, and to the inflamed airwaves. A small probe in the tube, after administering anesthesia, delivers the "metered cryospray." It is considered an outpatient procedure, with the patient allowed to go home the same day the procedure is conducted. After introducing one lung to RejuvenAir, the other receives the same process after four to six weeks.
CSA Medical, the company behind the procedure, received its CE Mark approval for the treatment of chronic bronchitis last December 2019. This approval for use of the procedure in the European Union is supported by a multi-center, open-label, safety, and efficacy study. A study involving 35 patients reported "significant improvement" in their health conditions at least 12 months after the procedure.
"This is a promising new therapy for the millions of people who suffer from chronic bronchitis," said Pallav Shah, MD, FRCP from the Royal Brompton in London.
