In severe emphysema, damaged lung tissue will gradually lose its elasticity; inelastic lung has difficulty emptying of air. Eventually more and more air gets trapped in the lung, causing over-inflation (hyperinflation). Air that gets trapped in the inelastic lung does not contribute to ventilation and makes breathing inefficient and difficult.

Deflating these areas of hyperinflated lung has been shown to improve breathing parameters, exercise capacity and quality of life in selected people with severe emphysema. This can be achieved using one-way valves (endobronchial valves) that are inserted into the airways of the most diseased areas of lung. These endobronchial valves gradually deflate the diseased areas of lung and allow the remainder of the lung to function more effectively.

In patients where valves are not suitable, then Sydney Interventional Pulmonology now has the ability to achieve lung volume reduction with either steam (Bronchoscopic Thermal Ablation Therapy), or via “glue” (Aeriseal (c) Polymer).