Lung Valve Surgery Relieves COPD, Emphysema Symptoms

Virtua is the first health system in South Jersey to offer the Zephyr® endobronchial valve treatment, a minimally invasive procedure that uses tiny valves to direct air in and out of your lungs, improving your ability to breathe and enjoy life again.

Updated November 18, 2024

By Syed Riaz, MD, Interventional Pulmonologist—Virtua Pulmonology

Breathing is an essential part of life—we inhale and exhale without thinking much about it. If you have severe chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) or emphysema, however, every breath can be a struggle.

Virtua is the first health system in South Jersey to offer the Zephyr^® endobronchial valve treatment, a minimally invasive procedure that uses tiny valves to direct air in and out of your lungs, improving your ability to breathe and enjoy life again.

When you have severe COPD or emphysema, the air sacs in your lungs lose elasticity, causing a condition called hyperinflation. Air becomes trapped and can’t escape when you exhale.

Zephyr’s one-way valves prevent new air from entering the damaged or treated portions of your lungs. Air is diverted to the healthier portions of your lungs, making breathing easier.

One Good Thing We Know: Lung Surgery With No Incisions

In its early stages, COPD is often treated with medication such as bronchodilators and inhaled steroids. As the disease progresses, supplemental oxygen and pulmonary rehabilitation may be added to aid breathing.

For people with more severe COPD, lung volume reduction surgery removes damaged sections of the upper lobes of the lungs. Extra space created in the chest gives the remaining healthy lung tissue and diaphragm room to expand and work more efficiently. A lung transplant is also an option.

With Zephyr, we are not cutting anyone open. There are no incisions whatsoever, reducing the risks associated with traditional surgery and speeding the recovery process.

What Happens During the Zephyr Procedure?

During the procedure, a thin tube with a camera at the end called a bronchoscope is threaded through your mouth into your lungs. The doctor places the valves into your airways through the bronchoscope.

Where and how many valves you receive depends on the damage in your lungs. Most people receive four or five valves.

Following the hour-long procedure, you will spend at least three nights in the hospital.

Is Zephyr Right for Me?

You may be a candidate for the Zephyr procedure if you:

Have a confirmed diagnosis of severe COPD or emphysema
Feel breathless even when taking your medication as directed
Have a lung function of less than 50%
Have not smoked for at least four months

Individuals will undergo a CT scan to determine the areas of the lungs that will benefit from the valves. A collateral ventilation test also will check to see if air from one lobe of the lungs can move into another. People who have collateral ventilation will undergo a different treatment.

People who have emphysema are huffing and puffing. They can barely walk. Having this treatment close to home—not having to deal with the hassles of driving into the city, parking, and walking far distances—has the potential to improve the daily lives of so many people in South Jersey.