Patient F.A.Q.
How can Zephyr valves help me if I have emphysema?
How will I know if Zephyr valves will work for me?
What are the risks and benefits of the procedure?
Where can I receive Zephyr EBV treatment?
How many patients have been treated with Zephyr EBV therapy?
How can Zephyr valves help me if I have emphysema?
If you have emphysema, there will be over-expansion (hyperinflation) in one or more diseased areas of your lung. This causes changes in your lung mechanics, making it difficult for you to breathe. The Zephyr valves can reduce the hyperinflation, allowing the healthier portion of your lungs to expand and function more normally. You may experience reduced breathlessness and be able to maintain or increase your activity level, which promotes better overall health.
How will I know if Zephyr valves will work for me?
If you are experiencing worsening symptoms of your emphysema, like increased breathlessness, reduction in your activity, inability to participate in the basic functions of everyday life, you may want to talk to your doctor about Zephyr EBV treatment and discuss with your doctor the possibility of being referred to a treating centre in your region.
At the specialist centre, you will be able to discuss the risks and benefits of endobronchial lung volume reduction with your treating physician. Your physician will conduct a number of tests of your lung function and will look at some special scans (CT images) of your lungs to determine whether endobronchial lung volume reduction may be appropriate for you. The next step is for the physician to perform a simple test, called a Chartis® assessment, which is performed through a small telescope called a bronchoscope and which helps the physician determine how much volume reduction you can expect to achieve with Zephyr EBV treatment.
The Chartis assessment detects collateral flow in the targeted areas of your lung. If you have collateral flow, this means air is moving into the diseased lobe of your lung from a neighbouring lobe. Placing valves to help reduce the volume will not work effectively if air can still enter from a neighbouring lobe. Your physician may wish to perform a Chartis assessment on different parts of your lung, as there may be an area which can be treated to offer you some relief of your symptoms.
What are the risks and benefits of the procedure?
Zephyr EBV therapy has many benefits, including lung volume reduction, improved breathing mechanics, improved exercise tolerance, and improved patient self-reported qualify of life.1,2,3
The Chartis assessment and Zephyr EBV treatment are minimally invasive, performed through a bronchoscope while you are partially or fully sedated (in a medicated sleep). There are minor risks associated with any bronchoscopic procedure, and you should discuss these with your doctor. Zephyr valve therapy and resultant lung volume reduction also have some potential risks. These are uncommon but if they occur, they can be easily treated by your physician and should not prevent you from experiencing improvement from the procedure. These include a temporary acute worsening of your symptoms, pneumonia, increased mucus secretions, and wheezing.
Another possible complication is that sometimes air can get into the space between the lung and the chest wall (pneumothorax). This temporary condition is especially likely to occur if you experience substantial volume reduction, which is the goal of the procedure. You physician will take a chest Xray shortly after the procedure whilst you are still in hospital to check for this. If this does occur, it can be readily treated and is not likely to cause any long term problems. You should also know that the Zephyr valves are removable, meaning if you do not respond well to the therapy, your doctor can remove the valves bronchoscopically. Removal of the valves typically takes about 10 minutes. And treatment with Zephyr valves will not prevent you from taking advantage of other treatment options which may be available to you in the future, such as surgical lung volume reduction if your doctor thinks you may benefit.
Where can I receive Zephyr EBV treatment?
Currently, the procedure is available in many countries around the world, but not yet in the USA. If you live outside the USA, please click here to find out where there is a treatment centre near you.
How many patients have been treated with Zephyr EBV therapy?
To date, over 2,500 patients have been treated with Zephyr EBV therapy, and patients in over 20 countries have access to the treatment. The Zephyr valve is the only endobronchial valve that has undergone two extensive, rigorous clinical trials on over 400 patients.
- Sciurba F, et al. A Randomized Study of Endobronchial Valves for Advanced Emphysema. New England Journal of Medicine, 2010; 363:1233-1244.
- Herth FJF, et al. Endoscopic Lung Volume Reduction with One-way Valves in a Large European Cohort of Emphysema Patients: A Multi-Center Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial, Poster Session, 2011 American Thoracic Society Meeting, Denver.
- Use of Chartis® Pulmonary Assessment System to Optimize Subject Selection for Endobronchial Lung Volume Reduction (ELVR). Chartis Multi-Centre Study, data presented at ATS2011. Data on file with Pulmonx.
