| Asthma is a common disease in which the airways in | | | | Bronchioplasty is a new procedure, designed to |
| the lung become inflamed and then narrow when | | | | reduce the tendency of narrowing of asthmatic |
| muscles within the airway walls contract. Conventional | | | | airways. In this new procedure, the airways are |
| therapies use two type of drugs viz short- term | | | | treated in half-hour treatment sessions and may |
| relievers and long-term controllers. While the relievers | | | | require up to three sessions to fully treat both lungs. |
| as the name suggests, treat the symptoms and | | | | The treatment, like any other endoscopy, is delivered |
| eliminate them, giving short term relief, during an | | | | through a bronchoscope. The procedure uses radio |
| attack controllers are aimed at suppressing the | | | | frequency energy to the airway to alter the ability of |
| inflammation in the airways. But this therapy may not | | | | the muscles in the airway walls to constrict. When |
| be effective in treating severe or persistent | | | | the constriction is reduced, it results in a reduction in |
| conditions. | | | | the frequency as well as severity of asthma attacks |
| Bronchial themoplasty is a potential new asthma | | | | in patients. Radio frequency energy is sent through a |
| treatment currently undergoing clinical testing. | | | | catheter inserted through the bronchoscope that |
| Developed by a medical device company called | | | | heats the smooth muscle walls to approximately 149 |
| Asthmatx Inc, this procedure has the potential to | | | | º F. |
| provide relief to asthma patients who do not respond | | | | The Blockbuster Herbal Formulation for Asthma |
| to conventional treatment. A clinical trial was | | | | This procedure is expected to have an impact on the |
| conducted on sixteen adults with mild to moderate | | | | treatment of asthma in future. It is hoped that this |
| asthma that did not respond to current asthma | | | | procedure could be useful in reducing the severity |
| treatments. The results of the study are encouraging | | | | and frequency of asthma attacks and be an |
| as 75 percent of the participants reported that the | | | | alternative to the conventional asthma treatments |
| new treatment allowed to function better in daily | | | | although it is not intended to cure asthma. |
| activities and reduced peak expiratory flow readings. | | | | |