The Zephyr ® Endobronchial Valve : Breakthrough technology for severe emphysema .
At Allegheny General , we ’ re continually adding new tools and procedures to our toolkit to help patients in our community breathe easier , do more and enjoy life . The Zephyr Valve is one of those technologies . When the Zephyr is placed in the airway , the valve opens to allow trapped air to escape until the volume of air in the treated lung is reduced . It closes to block air from entering the damaged part of the lung to allow the healthier lobes to expand . “ Emphysema and COPD don ’ t have a lot of treatment options that cure ,” said AHN Dr . Tariq Cheema . “ However , we can improve the quality of life with one of these new technologies , such as endobronchial valves .”
Patients who undergo this minimally invasive procedure experience :
• Improved health status and lung function
• Increased exercise capacity
• Reduced breathlessness
• Reduced gas trapping
• Better quality of life
The Zephyr Valve is not for everyone . If you or a loved one suffers from severe COPD , ask your doctor if it might be right for you . Zephyr ® is a registered trademark of Pulmonx and is used with permission .
Meet the team advancing pulmonary care in our community , and beyond .
Big things are happening at AHN Allegheny General . It started in 2019 , when AHN Dr . Tariq Cheema recruited Dr . Sohini Ghosh to help build the interventional pulmonary program . His goal : To ensure greater collaboration across multiple subspecialities in order to diagnose cancers earlier and treat them as quickly as possible . After all , the earlier the treatment , the bigger the chance of survival .
Dr . Ghosh leads the interventional pulmonary team , which includes Dr . Ganesh , who was recruited in 2020 , two nurses and a PA . Together the team is able to provide a comprehensive mix of both outpatient and inpatient medicine to help patients breathe easier to allow for continuity of care and to provide a better quality of life in patients with limited treatment options who are still very symptomatic but have limited options .
“ We ’ re able to provide a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to pulmonary care and have multi-specialty backup and coordination ,” says Dr . Ganesh . “ We regularly collaborate with thoracic surgeons , oncologists and radiation oncologists to arrive at the best treatment plan for each patient .”
“ Our goal is to identify patients in our communities who may have potential cancers , and give them the right treatment earlier on ,” Dr . Ganesh said .
These include many minimally invasive procedures , such as rigid bronchoscopy , previously done only by thoracic surgeons , as well as endobronchial stents that alleviate obstruction in airways , endobronchial valves for severe COPD patients and a revolutionary new robotic bronchoscopy system , which can reach peripheral lesions in the lung that were previously unreachable by traditional bronchoscopy . While making great strides in lung cancer treatment , the team is also equally focused on improving the lives of those with emphysema . |
TARIQ J CHEEMA , MD AHN DIVISION CHIEF OF PULMONARY CRITICAL CARE |
SOHINI GHOSH , MD INTERVENTIONAL PULMONOLOGY |
AARTHI GANESH , MD INTERVENTIONAL PULMONOLOGY |
FOR APPOINTMENTS OR MORE INFORMATION , CALL ( 412 ) DOCTORS .