title: A review of current bronchoscopic interventions for obstructive airway diseases.
abstract: Obstructive diseases of the airway are a diverse group, although they share in common airway narrowing as a sequel to inflammation, which leads to increased work of breathing. Optimal treatment strategies for this heterogeneous group of asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema should be multidimensional and embrace pharmacological and nonpharmacological means as well as surgery in a highly select group of patients with emphysema. We review the current status of the bronchoscopic interventions that have been in development for the past decade with the objectives of providing better symptom control in asthma and palliation in individuals with emphysema who are otherwise poor candidates for lung volume reduction surgery.
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin Medical School, National University of Singapore, Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, National University Hospital, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block Level 10, Singapore. pyng_lee@nuhs.edu.sg
authors.forename: Pyng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kay Leong
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Khoo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D029481:Bronchitis, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004646:Emphysema / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy