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Alair & Bronchial Thermoplasty
Bronchial thermoplasty is a treatment for severe persistent asthma involving the delivery of controlled, therapeutic radiofrequency energy to the airway wall, thus heating the tissue and reducing the amount of smooth muscle present in the airway wall.
This reduces the capacity of the immune system to cause bronchoconstriction through nitric oxide signalling, which is the main root cause of asthma symptoms. It is normally used to treat patients who do not respond well to typical pharmacotherapy regimens.
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The Alair System uses mild heat for it. Less muscle tissue means less airway constriction during an asthma attack, allowing patients to breathe more easily.
We tested our prototype in 20 different users, the results can be seen in the upper diagram. In this tests, we settled the correct hand orientation, the smallest and tallest percentil user and experimented with the ergonomics of the hand grip.
1. Monitor + Basic Unit
Unlike the Alair, the Alair 2 has a monitor, so that the doctor doesn’t have the need to use an extra one. It counts with an upper grip to transport the system.
2. Signal + Pedal
Here the doctor controls when the ablation device sends the burning signal.
3. Ablation Device
The ablation device controls the distance inside the bronchial tube, which can be seen in the upper screen.
The device is symmetrical, so that it’s also left handed friendly. The ergonomics also allows to shorten the surgery time.
The doctor prepares and connects the device.
The catheter has to be proved before the OP
The catheter must open easily.
The doctor inserts the bronchoscope through the patient‘s laryx
The transparent tube is inserted in both the catheter and bronchoscope a) Insert the lower part (disposable) into the upper part. a) Push the frontal button once to connect the internal mechanism. a) Push the superior button to set the depth of the ablation device. a) Push again the frontal button to liberate and deploy the catheter.
The doctor sends the ablation signal with the pedal.
1. Not Disposable Part
2. Disposable part
3. Guidance Tube
