In its latest draft guidance, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has deemed a potentially life-changing treatment to be safe and effective for adults with severe asthma and could be used on the NHS, based on commissioning arrangements. NICE says that bronchial thermoplasty could be a therapeutic option for adults with severe asthma who are unable to adequately control their symptoms with medications.
The procedure, which is performed under sedation or general anaesthesia, involves delivering short pulses of radiofrequency energy to the airway wall. This causes a reduction in the smooth muscle mass lining the airways, thereby lowering their ability to constrict. The complete therapy comprises 2 further sessions with 3 weeks intervals. The treatment should only be carried out at specialist centres having on-site access to intensive care.
The procedure is expected to reduce the severity and frequency of severe asthma attacks and consequently improve quality of life. According to Professor Kevin Harris, programme director and clinical advisor for the Interventional Procedures Programme at NICE, "Although the majority of patients with asthma won’t require this treatment, it could be a life-changing procedure for some individuals with severe asthma.
After reviewing new data on the procedure, the independent committee allowed it to be performed under standard arrangements rather than special arrangements.
