Bronchoscopic Intrabullous Autologous Blood Instillation (BIABI) for Emphysema

Overview

Patients with large bullae (large empty air sacs in the lung) may benefit from bullectomy (surgery to resect these bullae), however this is a major surgery with significant potential morbidity and long hospital stays. Many patients are not well enough to have this surgery, or may not wish to have it. A less invasive means of attempting to shrink the size of the bullae is to directly inject the patients' own blood into the bullae (we believe that this can lead to an inflammatory reaction leading to gradual scarring and volume loss). This can be performed bronchoscopically in a 20-30 minute procedure using conscious sedation (avoiding general anaesthesia). The aim of this study is to assess the effects on lung function, quality of life measures, functional measures and CT measured lung volumes of bronchoscopic intrabullous blood instillation in patients with bullous emphysema.

Conditions

Interventions