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Bronchial thermoplasty for the treatment of severe persistent asthma

Purpose of review Severe asthma is associated with frequent hospital visits and impact in quality of life as well as healthcare associated costs. Limited treatment modalities exist to assist in reduction of frequent exacerbations in patients with severe asthma who are already on maximum inhaler therapy. As supporting data becomes more robust, novel treatments have gained attention such as bronchial thermoplasty and immune-directed therapies. Recent findings Based on review of recent studies, bronchial thermoplasty poses itself as a potential intervention for severe asthma, demonstrating a decrease in asthma exacerbations with long term clinical effect and safety profile at the expense of temporary uncontrolled asthma symptoms for the first six weeks following the procedure. Summary In select patients with severe asthma, bronchial thermoplasty is a well tolerated and effective treatment to reduce asthma exacerbation.