A Case Series of Patients Undergoing Bronchial Thermoplasty a Second Time for Severe Asthma.

Abstract

Bronchial thermoplasty is a treatment option for patients with severe asthma. We report a case series of 6 patients who underwent bronchial thermoplasty on two separate occasions for poorly controlled asthma. The repeat procedures were well tolerated with no unexpected complications. One patient developed a focal area of mild bronchiectasis on imaging 6-months after repeat treatment, but this was not felt to be clinically relevant. Individual responses to repeat bronchial thermoplasty were varied, with some patients showing great improvement after treatment, whereas others did not. This series highlights the safety and feasibility of performing repeat ablation on previously ablated airways, as well as the potential clinical benefit in a select group of patients.