Implantation of fetal rat lung fragments

Implantation of fetal rat lung fragments into bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis

 
Objective: Pulmonary fibrosis is a life-threatening disease that results in progressive respiratory failure. We have suggested the possibility of fetal lung tissue as an option for further investigation into lung regeneration. The objective was to prove whether fetal lung fragments can survive and differentiate in fibrotic lung.

Methods: Lewis rats were administered bleomycin and used as recipients after 3 or 4 weeks. Day 17 fetal lung tissue from green fluorescent protein Lewis rats was used as donor material. Donor lungs were removed, cut into small pieces, and implanted into the recipients’ left lung. The recipients received cyclosporin to prevent immune response to green fluorescent protein and were killed after 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks and histologically evaluated. Furthermore, the expression of thyroid transcription factor-1 and Clara cell secretory protein in the implanted fetal lung tissue was immunohistologically evaluated.

Results: Fibrotic changes were recognized for a long period of time in the recipient lungs. The implanted fetal lung fragments could be clearly distinguished from recipient lungs because of the luminescence of grafts. Fetal lung fragments could survive in the recipient lungs with fibrotic changes. The air spaces of implanted fetal lungs were narrow at 1 and 2 weeks but expanded with the passage of time. The connection between the recipient lung and the implanted fetal lung was recognized, particularly in the peripheral grafts. The expression patterns of thyroid transcription factor-1 and Clara cell secretory protein in implanted lungs resembled those in the process of normal lung morphogenesis.

Conclusions: Fetal rat lung fragments could survive and differentiate in bleomycin-induced completely fibrotic lung.


 see the original article on the potential of lung fragments


Hiroaki Toba, MD^a, Shoji Sakiyama, MD, PhD^a,_*, Koichiro Kenzaki, MD, PhD^a, Yukikiyo Kawakami, MD^a, Koh Uyama, MD^a, Yoshimi Bando, MD, PhD^b, Akira Tangoku, MD, PhD^a
 
a Department of Thoracic and Endocrine Surgery and Oncology, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Japan
^b Department of Molecular and Environmental Pathology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Japan
Received for publication November 4, 2011; revisions received December 13, 2011; accepted for publication January 4, 2012.
_^* Address for reprints: Shoji Sakiyama, MD, PhD, Department of Thoracic and Endocrine Surgery and Oncology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan. (Email: sakiyama@clin.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp ).

the effect of food on COPD (video)

the effect  of food on COPD

some recommendations for people with emphysema

Recommendations:
Avoid foods that require a great deal of chewing, such as meats and nuts.
Avoid any and all contact with tobacco. If you have emphysema and smoke, you must quit. Avoid areas where people smoke and do not allow smoking in your home, your car, or anywhere near you.
Eat a diet consisting of 50% raw foods. The other 50% should consist of soups, skinless chicken, fish, and grain cereals.
Consume onions and garlic daily. (Onions are good expectorant and garlic is known for its antibacterial properties.)
Avoid perfume and anything containing fragrance.
Avoid letting furry and feathered animals into your home.
Rest and avoid stress.
Have a light to moderate, regular exercise. Stationary bike, stair climbing, and walking are the forms of physical activities.
Go on cleansing fast periodically, using carrots, celery, spinach, and all green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit juices.
Avoid pollution. Leave the house during housecleaning to avoid allergens such as molds, dust, aerosol products, and etc.
Avoid fried and greasy foods, salt, and all foods that may cause excess mucus to be formed in the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, sinuses, and nasal cavity. Foods that lead to the formation of mucus include meat, eggs, all diary products and cheese, processes foods, tobacco, junk foods, and white flour products.
(Dr. Gary S.Sy, M.D. is the Medical Director of Life Extension Medical Center located at The Garden Plaza Hotel (formerly Swiss Inn Hotel) 1370 Gen Luna St., Paco Manila. E-mail Address: lifeextension_drgarysy@yahoo .com)



click for more info on emphysema copd

new Emphysema Treatments with valves

Pulmonx Reports New Publication Confirms Efficacy of Emphysema Treatment

Zephyr Endobronchial Valve (EBV) therapy guided by Chartis Assessment is effective in a broad range of patients 

 

 

May 10, 2012- Pulmonx, an emerging leader in interventional pulmonology, announced today that the European Respiratory Journal has published the results of the Chartis Multi-Centre study. The study is the first to combine the Chartis Pulmonary Assessment System and Zephyr EBV treatment for patients with advanced emphysema. The published results of the study demonstrate that in patients who achieve volume reduction post Endobronchial Valve treatment, the majority get clinically significant responses in lung function, exercise tolerance and quality of life measures. After detailed review of the U.S. and European VENT data, a much broader profile of patient characteristics was identified for potential inclusion; including patients that would have been excluded in the previous studies.


"Using the Chartis system to reliably plan EBV treatment can provide very real benefits for emphysema patients by relieving the hyperinflation and providing clinical benefit. This is a welcome advance for patients who have very few treatment options available to them" said Professor Felix Herth, MD, PhD., FCCP, Chairman and Head of Pneumology and Respiratory Care at Thoraxklinik, University of Heidelberg, Germany. "I believe that the publication of the results of the study will lead to Chartis and EBV treatment becoming a standard-of-care in the management of emphysema," he continued.

About the European Respiratory Journal publication

The peer-reviewed clinical paper, "Radiological and Clinical Outcomes of Using Chartis to Plan Endobronchial Valve Treatment," demonstrates the ability of the bronchoscopic Chartis Pulmonary Assessment System to predict treatment response by determining the presence or absence of collateral ventilation (CV). In this study performed in Germany, The Netherlands and Sweden, 80 patients underwent a Chartis assessment prior to Zephyr endobronchial valve implantation. The patients predicted by Chartis to respond showed statistically significant target lobe volume reduction and associated improvement in lung function compared to those predicted not to respond.


There were no serious adverse events related to the Chartis System. Six patients experienced a pneumothorax, a known temporary complication of EBV therapy, and recovered with standard treatment with all patients demonstrating significant target lobe volume reduction.
The study highlights that the addition of the Chartis System to plan EBV therapy produces consistent, clinically meaningful results in a broad population of patients with emphysema, while also confirming the safety profile of Zephyr EBV therapy in treatment of emphysema.
"This publication is a milestone for us as it documents the safety and efficacy of Chartis guided Zephyr EBV therapy. It is particularly useful to have this peer-reviewed data published in the public domain as we make final preparations to begin our US trial," commented Michael A. Baker, President and CEO of Pulmonx.


The publication is available online at http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2012/05/02/09031936.00015312.abstract

About Emphysema
Emphysema is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that occurs when the air sacs in the lungs are gradually destroyed, leading to shortness of breath even while at rest. Globally over 30 million patients have been diagnosed with emphysema. COPD is a major cause of disability and a major public health problem. The World Health Organization ranks it as the fourth leading cause of death today and it is expected to become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030s. Most patients suffering from emphysema currently have few options for treatment. Emphysema is a major economic problem and a burden on the global healthcare system, due to millions of workdays missed, expensive and minimally effective therapies and frequent hospitalisations related to the disease.
About the Chartis and Zephyr Technologies

Emphysema patients suffer from hyperinflation--an increase in volume of the diseased portions of their lungs, which then compresses the healthier areas. This results in breathlessness and costly disability. Many patients cannot carry out even the most basic activities of everyday living, and may require supplemental oxygen. Zephyr endobronchial valves can reduce volume in the diseased portion of the lungs thereby improving the ability of the healthier portions of the lungs to function, and relieving the patient's symptoms, as well as allowing patients to increase their activity levels, promoting better overall health.
Some patients have extra airflow pathways between the lobes of their lungs, a condition known as "collateral ventilation". Large amounts of collateral ventilation can prevent the valves from working effectively by circumventing them.

The Chartis System includes a balloon catheter that is inserted into the airway and a simple, easy-to-use console that displays expiratory airflow, pressure and resistance, providing a quantitative measure of collateral ventilation.
Previously published studies on the Zephyr EBV have confirmed the safety of the treatment, as well as its effectiveness in a subset of emphysema patients. The challenge in applying the therapy to a broad population of emphysema patients has been the ability of physicians to plan valve treatments to account for anatomical variations in the lungs of individual patients which impact the effectiveness of the valves. The addition of the Chartis assessment now ensures that a very high percent of treated patients will experience benefit from EBV treatment.
About Pulmonx

Pulmonx, based in Redwood City, CA, and Peseux, Switzerland, is focused on developing and marketing minimally-invasive medical devices and technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary disorders. The Chartis System and Zephyr EBV is the first effective diagnostic and therapeutic solution to the problem of emphysema-induced hyperinflation. www.pulmonx.com

The Zephyr EBV is an investigational device in the United States. Limited by U.S. law to investigational use. The Chartis System is for use/sale outside the United States only.

SOURCE: Pulmonx

        
        Pulmonx 
        Mike Baker, President & CEO 
        mbaker@pulmonx.com 
        Peseux, Switzerland 
        Phone: +41 32 557 5800 
        Redwood City, CA 
        Phone: +1 (0) 650 216-0150
        

new treatment for emphysema

LVR-Coil Treatment Promising for Emphysema

tiny bell that breathes life back into your lungs?

 

Me and my operation: The tiny bell that breathes life back into your lungs

By Angela Epstein

Every year 900,000 Britons are diagnosed with lung conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis which leave them breathless. Susan Matthews, 62, a retired administrator from Wiltshire, underwent a new, non-invasive treatment.

THE PATIENT

And breathe: A bell-shaped valve has transformed the life of one emphysema sufferer

Twelve years ago, I started feeling breathless when I was walking uphill or for long distances.
At the time I assumed I was just out of shape: as an administrator my day was fairly sedentary. I’d also, ashamed as I am to admit it, smoked on and off for the previous 20 years — up to 20 cigarettes a day.
The breathlessness got worse, and five years after the symptoms started I went to see my GP. By this stage I was gasping for breath.
I was referred to a consultant who diagnosed emphysema, where the lungs become inflamed — when I breathed in, the air was getting trapped and wasn’t being exhaled.
Over time the air builds up, taking up more and more space in your lungs so you can’t take as much air in — that’s why I’d been feeling so breathless.
Although both lungs were affected, the left was more damaged. The consultant said unless it was treated it would just get worse and could even be fatal as the lung tissue is gradually destroyed.
I was horrified, though in my heart I knew this was because I’d been stupid enough to be a smoker. Of course, I stopped completely straight away.
The consultant said the only treatment was to operate to deflate the damaged lung permanently, but because my breathing was so bad I just wasn’t well enough for surgery.

 

My breathlessness was getting steadily worse and it got to the stage when it was impossible to walk to the shops or even upstairs.
I also started to get chest infections every few months. I barely wanted to go out because everything was such an effort and I was so reliant on my husband, Brian, and our daughter Rhiannon, 31.
Then, last autumn, I was told about a new non-invasive procedure. The surgeon would put a tiny, bell-shaped valve down my throat and into the damaged part of my lung so the trapped air could be released, making it easier for me to breathe in and out.
The valve works one way so that when you breathe in it doesn’t allow air to the damaged part of the lung, yet it allows air out when you exhale.
I was terrified at first. But my consultant, Ms Kornaszewska, reassured me there was very little risk of complication since I wasn’t having a general anaesthetic or open surgery.
Anyway, by now I had so much trouble breathing that I could barely talk or get out of a chair without gasping. I couldn’t face going on the way I was.
I had the two-hour operation under sedation at Heath Hospital in Cardiff in October 2011, and was kept in for five days.
I had a sore throat when I woke up, but, remarkably, I wasn’t out of breath any more.
Since then, life has changed for the better. I enjoy walking again, going to the theatre and playing with my nine-year-old grandson, Cameron. They’re just normal things, but it’s so easy to take them for granted. 

THE SURGEON

Margaret Kornaszewska is a cardiothoracic surgeon at University Hospital, Wales.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) — the umbrella term for lung conditions such as emphysema — is a very widespread problem.
In fact, recent research suggests it may be hugely under-diagnosed — as many as one in ten people over 40 in Britain may have a form of COPD. More people die each year from these lung conditions than from breast and prostate cancer together.
The condition is linked to smoking, exposure to cigarette smoke and jobs such as mining or the chemical industry, but it can also be caused by earlier serious chest infections.

Normally, when we breathe in, air travels down the main airway, the trachea, into microscopic air sacs in the lungs called alveoli. Here, oxygen is absorbed into the blood before the air is breathed out.
When someone develops emphysema or chronic bronchitis, some of these microscopic air sacs become damaged. This means that not all the air that should be expelled is actually breathed out and about 10 per cent of it remains trapped in the lungs.
As a result the lungs become overinflated over time and there is less space for taking air in. The body compensates by taking shorter breaths, leading to breathlessness. The lung tissue can become so damaged that the condition can be fatal.
Operating to reduce this over-inflated area of the lung is thought to be the best way to resolve the problem. 

However, this is quite risky since emphysema patients are already unwell. It also means a long hospital stay and, as with all operations, carries the risk of infection.
Endobronchial lung volume reduction can achieve the same results, but with a minimal risk of complications as there’s no open surgery involved.
It involves placing a one-way, bell-shaped valve (about 10mm long and 5mm wide) in the bronchi, the tubes that run into the alveoli, in the most over-inflated part of the lungs.

When the patient breathes in, the valve closes and prevents air being directed to the damaged part of the lung, so preventing further inflation.
However, when the patient breathes out, trapped air is able to flow through the valve and out of the lung. This improves the patient’s ability to breathe, and of course it allows them to be more active, which improves their overall wellbeing.
Depending on a patient’s condition, the number of valves used can vary from one to 15. 

The procedure was trialled at the Royal Brompton Hospital, West London, around two years ago, and is available in a limited number of NHS hospitals, but there are plans to make it more widely available.
With the patient under sedation, I place a special camera on a tube (a video bronchoscope) down the mouth and directly into the damaged area. This transmits images of the lung onto a computer screen so that I can see exactly where to place the valve.
The valve, which is made of mesh, is then compressed into a catheter (a thin tube) and put down the throat.
Once guided to its exact location, the valve is pushed out of the catheter where it expands to its full width. The valve creates an airtight seal against the wall of the bronchi to prevent air from leaking around the device.
The valve stays in place because of internal pressure in the body, so then we simply withdraw the catheter and camera back through the mouth.
As there’s no invasive surgery there is no risk of infection, no need for painkillers and the effects are almost immediate.

The procedure costs £10,000 to £15,000 privately, depending on the number of valves used, with a similar cost to the NHS.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2140999/Me-operation-The-tiny-bell-breathes-life-lungs.html#ixzz1uLShye4W