An experimental treatment for severe emphysema that involves placing one-way valves in airways leading to damaged lung tissue can help patients breathe easier and exercise longer, according to a new study from the Netherlands
The technique is designed to replace risky surgery in which doctors remove a damaged lobe of the lung to literally give healthier areas more breathing room. Once the expandable valves are in place, fresh air can’t flow in and old air flows out, collapsing the inefficient area.
