Pulmonary & Respiratory Medicine

Li Liu

Publications

• Research Article
  Bronchial Thermoplasty by Application of Ultrasound Energy
  Author(s): Lidia Sobkow, Sajive Aleyas, Matthew Pollman, Dong Ik Shin, Joerg Schulze-Clewing, Tom Zimmerman, Valery Matthys, Jean Rooney, Li Liu and Reinhard J. WarnkingLidia Sobkow, Sajive Aleyas, Matthew Pollman, Dong Ik Shin, Joerg Schulze-Clewing, Tom Zimmerman, Valery Matthys, Jean Rooney, Li Liu and Reinhard J. Warnking
  
  Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of respiratory airways, typically marked by spasms in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. Although the disease is very well documented, therapies are limited and patients mostly undergo symptom management. Bronchial thermoplasty is a radiofrequency-based treatment for severe asthma approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010 (Alair system, Boston Scientific Inc). Here we propose the use of ultrasound (US) energy to perform bronchial thermoplasty. Our hypothesis is that ultrasound affects bronchial smooth muscle at least as effective as radio-frequency (RF) but causes less collateral damage, and holds the potential to reduce the procedure time. In this publication we present a direct comparison of acute thermoplasty effects of RF energy versus ultras.. Read More»
  

  Abstract PDF