Struggling with emphysema? Try this and maybe avoid major surgery

Marjorie Cowee, 78, of Mount Vernon was the first patient at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center to undergo a revolutionary and minimally invasive procedure designed to help emphysema sufferers breathe easier without major surgery.

That was Oct. 10, 2019. Since then, five additional patients have undergone the procedure and more are scheduled.

Emphysema had reduced Cowee’s quality of life as breathing became more and more difficult, according to Cowee.

“It was very uncomfortable. I constantly felt winded and had to talk myself out of panic attacks,” she said. “I had to use my electronic scooter to get to meals and around my retirement facility because I just couldn’t walk without feeling breathless.”

Since the treatment, Cowee said she has not used the scooter at all.

“I walk to all activities and meals. I feel like a new person,” she said. “It clearly changed my life overnight for the better.”

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center is the first in Washington state and the fourth in the Western United States to offer a new lung valve treatment for patients with emphysema, a severe form of chronic pulmonary obstructive disease known as COPD. Approved by the FDA under its “breakthrough devices” status, the Zephyr Endobronchial Valve treatment represents a major advancement because it is the first performed through a simple bronchoscopy. The valves improve patients’ quality of life by allowing them to breathe easier and experience less shortness of breath while completing daily routines and other activities.

“We are very excited to offer this new treatment option because emphysema patients are often in poor physical condition, struggling with each breath despite medication therapy,” said Dr. Amir Gharaei, a pulmonologist with PeaceHealth Medical Group Pulmonary Medicine, who completed Cowee’s procedure. “Before the Zephyr Valves, the only options for relief were highly invasive treatments, like lung transplantations. This minimally invasive procedure has the potential to improve the quality of life for many who suffer from emphysema in our community.”

Mario Sosaya, manager of respiratory care at St. Joseph hospital, said recovery time is minimal, and patients can see results in as little as 45 days.

Emphysema is a progressive and life-threatening lung disease. There is no cure, and patients live with severe shortness of breath that keeps them from doing simple daily activities, like walking or taking a shower, without pausing to catch their breath or resting. This extreme shortness of breath is caused when air becomes trapped in parts of the lung that are damaged by the disease.

The one-time procedure blocks off these damaged areas of the lungs so that air no longer gets trapped within them. It is completed during a simple bronchoscopy that requires no cutting or incisions. On average, four tiny valves are placed in the airways to block off the diseased parts of the lungs to allow the healthier parts of t to expand and take in more air, thereby also relieving pressure on the diaphragm. This results in patients being able to breathe easier and experience less shortness of breath.

“It can really make a night-and-day difference for those people with debilitating emphysema who qualify for the procedure,” Gharaei said. “It’s one of the many ways our team is staying on the leading edge of pulmonary medicine technology to support the best possible outcomes for our patients.”