Feeling tired, out of breath and not being able to take a deep breath are some of the signs of pulmonary emphysema. Normally, lungs easily expand and contract with breathing. But with emphysema, air sacs in the lungs lose elasticity and become hyper-inflated, resulting in the destruction of the alveolar walls.

Advanced emphysema is treated with surgery or with lung transplantation. However, some people may be able to be treated with a less invasive solution in the form of endobronchial valves. 

According to Dr Sebastián Fernández-Bussy, who is an interventional pulmonologist and intensive care specialist, this device is a one-way valve, made of a metal called nitinol and covered with polyurethane. With the endobronchial valve, when the patient exhales, air is able to flow through the valve and out of the lung compartment that is fed by that airway, but when the patient inhales, the valve closes and blocks air from entering that lung compartment.

With time, one or more diseased portions of an emphysematous lung are made to deflate and collapse, so other healthier portions of the lung have more room in the chest cavity to inhale and exhale. Patients can then breathe easier.

Endobronchial valve implantation procedure 
First, the ideal candidate must be selected. A chest CT scan can confirm if the emphysema is affecting the upper part of the lung. If so, the required respiratory tests are carried out and the procedure is prescribed. The implantation of the valve can be done in patients of any age, but they must be healthy. The degree of emphysema is also important.