Minimally Invasive System Aims to Relieve Symptoms for Patients with Chronic Bronchitis

“Imagine somebody that gets bronchitis every day, with a cough so severe that they can’t talk in full sentences, they can’t sleep at night, and they can’t walk a decent distance,” said Jon Waldstreicher, MD, CEO of Gala Therapeutics, in an interview with MD+DI. Although someone with this condition might present to physicians with normal lung function, their chronic cough and mucous production negatively affects their quality of life. Until now, there has been no way to treat these debilitating symptoms effectively, even with medication. “We know that the best inhalers do not target the cough,” Waldstreicher said, noting that such treatments are directed at bronchodilation and reduction in inflammation only, without addressing the overproduction of mucous. But a new technology is showing promise for patients. RheOx, developed by Gala Therapeutics, is a novel ablation technology that employs an electrosurgical generator and a single-use catheter to deliver nonthermal energy into the airways of patients with airway dysfunction or dysfunctional mucous secretion cells. The device uses electrosurgical energy to create magnetic fields. “That causes disruption of cells in a nonthermal way,” explained Waldstreicher. “So, as compared to the typical heat-like radiofrequency ablation or microwave ablation, or v...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: Design Source Type: news