Expert Care for Lung Cancer, COPD, and More

Types of Lung Surgery

At The Lung Center at Penn Highlands DuBois, thoracic surgeons perform many types of thoracic surgery, including some minimally invasive procedures including:

• Surgery to treat lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and other cancers of the thoracic wall
• Surgery for gastroesophageal reflux
• Surgery for complex lung infections
• Bronchial thermoplasty for patients with severe asthma
• Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction for emphysema patients using the Zephyr Endobronchial Valve
• Minimally invasive thoracoscopic procedures for mesothelioma, diseases of the chest cavity, esophageal diseases, tumors of the lung and esophagus, esophageal achalasia, , esophageal diverticulum, esophageal stenosis, myasthenia gravis, interstitial lung disease and other diseases of the lungs

What is the Zephyr Procedure?

The Zephyr Endobronchial Valve, which recently was approved by the FDA under “Breakthrough Devices” status, is a minimally invasive bronchoscopic treatment option for patients with emphysema that can’t be controlled with medication.

The one-time, 30- to 60-minute procedure is completed during a simple bronchoscopy that doesn’t require any cutting or incisions. During the procedure, four tiny valves, on average, are placed in the airways to block off the diseased parts of the lungs where air gets trapped. Keeping air from getting trapped in the diseased parts of the lungs allows the healthier parts of the lungs to expand and take in more air. This results in patients being able to breathe easier and experience less shortness of breath.