CLINCH VALLEY HEALTH NOW OFFERING VALVES FOR THE LUNGS – BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENT OPTION FOR PATIENTS WITH SEVERE COPD / EMPHYSEMA

The Zephyr Valve is the first FDA-approved device to help these patients breathe easier without major surgery¹ is available at Clinch Valley Medical Center in Richlands..

Clinch Valley Health is the first in the region to offer a new lung valve treatment for patients with severe COPD and emphysema. Zephyr® Valves received breakthrough device designation and were approved by the FDA in 2018. The Zephyr Valve treatment helps patients breathe easier and do more without many of the risks associated with major surgery. The procedure is usually complete in under an hour and allows patients to enjoy a better quality of life.¹

“Finally having a minimally invasive procedure to help patients with this disease is very exciting,” states Pulmonologist Sami Jawad, M.D. “Patients with severe COPD and emphysema often struggle with each breath despite medication and oxygen therapy, and before the Zephyr Valve the only options for relief were highly invasive treatments including lung transplant.”

“The Zephyr Valves can be a game-changer for many patients in our area,” said Clinch Valley Health Chief Executive Officer Peter Mulkey. “We routinely hear of folks in our community struggling to do everyday tasks due to their severe COPD and emphysema.  This treatment can help get patients back to a more normal life.”

Emphysema is a progressive and life-threatening lung disease, and a severe form of COPD (chronic pulmonary obstructive 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. This trapped air causes the damaged areas of the lungs to get larger which puts pressure on the diaphragm and makes breathing difficult. The physician places an average of 4 valves to occlude a hyperinflated part of the lung, allowing air to escape while blocking airflow into the treated part of the lung. This allows the healthier parts of the lungs to expand and relieves the pressure on the diaphragm, which decreases shortness of breath and makes breathing easier.

About Clinch Valley Health:

For more than 85 years, Clinch Valley Health has been an integral part of the lives of people throughout southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia. Our 175-bed acute care hospital offers a range of inpatient and outpatient services including medical and radiation oncology services, specialty care for the heart, lungs and vascular system, cardiac catheterization lab, 24-hour emergency services, physical rehabilitation, sleep studies, skilled nursing, pediatrics & obstetrics, an advanced wound care center, and advanced diagnostics. For more information, please visit ClinchValleyHealth.com.

More on the Zephyr Valves:

The Zephyr® Valve was fast-tracked through the FDA’s “Breakthrough Device” designation. As part of the supporting evidence for the FDA premarket approval, four randomized controlled clinical trials, including the US approval study, LIBERATE was conducted. Data from the study showed that implantation of the Zephyr Valves successfully reduced shortness of breath while improving lung function, exercise capacity, and quality of life.¹ These benefits lasted at least one-year post-treatment for patients with severe emphysema.

Since 2007, more than 25,000 patients have been treated with The Zephyr Valve worldwide. The Zephyr Valve treatment is included in severe COPD and emphysema treatment recommendations issued by leading health organizations worldwide, including the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellent (NICE) and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) which gives endobronchial valves a level ‘A’ evidence rating, the highest rating possible.

More about COPD and Emphysema

More than 15 million Americans suffer from COPD, and 3.5 million of those patients have emphysema.² Despite using COPD medications, over one million emphysema patients continue to suffer symptoms of hyperinflation, in which air becomes trapped in the lungs and prevents new air from coming in, causing severe shortness of breath. Breathing becomes inefficient and patients must work very hard just to breathe – making normal activities, like walking, eating or even bathing, difficult. There are few treatment options for most patients with emphysema and there is no cure. Until now, the only other options for these patients were highly invasive treatments such as lung volume reduction surgery or lung transplantation.

1. Criner G et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018; 198 (9): 1151–1164.
2. American Lung Association. Trends in COPD (Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema): Morbidity and Mortality. March 2013.

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