Treatment for emphysema begins with preventative measures such as smoking cessation and an annual flu shot. Medications (both inhaled and oral) should be the next approach to management. Medications have been shown to improve symptoms and quality of life and reduce exacerbations. Supplemental oxygen for patients with low oxygen levels in their blood can improve symptoms and extend life. Pulmonary rehabilitation, including regular exercise, is also beneficial.

Surgical and endoscopic options can be considered in patients with severe emphysema once they have been treated with many of the above treatment options, but still remain disabled due to the disease. These options include:

• Surgical Options: Lung volume reduction surgery removes a portion of the diseased lung tissue and has been shown to improve lung function, symptoms and exercise capacity. Lung transplantation is an option for only a very select groups of patients. Even though both are effective, they are associated with significant risks and complications for the few patients who qualify for them, and are rarely used.
• Endoscopic Lung Volume Reduction (ELVR): A relatively new group of non-surgical treatments use a bronchoscope – a small flexible tube with a light and camera lens – to permanently treat and reduce hyperinflation. These include placing one-way valves, wire-like coils or chemical foam sealant into the lungs. All of these ELVR treatments are designed to provide a permanent approach to treating hyperinflation. InterVapor™ is also in this group. But unlike these other treatments, InterVapor uses only heated water vapor and the body’s healing process to effectively reduce the size and volume of the lung.