St. Joseph’s Participating in Clinical Study

St. Joseph’s Participating in Clinical Study to Treat Severe Emphysema

The Center for Thoracic Disease and Transplantation at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center is participating in a clinical trial to evaluate a minimally invasive device for the treatment of severe emphysema. Safety and effectiveness data from the IBV® Valve Trial will be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval to market the device in the United States.

“Emphysema is a progressive debilitating disease with few treatment options,” says Tony Hodges, MD, FCCP, principal investigator and director of St. Joseph’s Center for Thoracic Transplantation. “Our hope is this study will lead to improving the health of these patients.

“This trial allows St. Joseph’s to be the only regional center providing a comprehensive approach to the surgical management of patients with advanced lung disease. We are now able to offer evaluation for endoscopic (minimally invasive) and surgical lung volume reduction as well as lung transplantation.”

More than three million Americans are living with emphysema, a condition that is chronic and severely impacts quality of life. People with severe emphysema struggle with each breath and as a result they cannot do very simple things like simultaneously walk and talk. Many emphysema patients do not respond well to current medical treatments and are not eligible for major surgery such as lung volume reduction or lung transplantation. The IBV® Valve Trial, which is much less invasive than surgery, may provide a new treatment option for these patients.

St. Joseph’s is actively recruiting patients for the IBV® Valve Trial. The study is open to individuals ages 40 to 74 who have been diagnosed with predominately upper lobe emphysema and severe dyspnea (shortness of breath). Study participants must be able to participate in pulmonary function and standardized exercise tests, cannot have smoked for four months, must be willing not to smoke during the trial, and will commit to at least four visits to St. Joseph’s for health assessment tests. Additional criteria must be met to participate in the study.

The IBV® Valve System was developed and is manufactured by Spiration, Inc. of Redmond, Wash.

If you have questions regarding this information, please call Kimberly Lodge, Director of Communications for St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center at 602-406-6678, 877-547-8839, 602-406-3845 or visit www.emphysematrial.com.

Source: St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center