First patient celebrates 67th birthday using his new lungs to blow out candles on his birthday cake in honor of receiving the gift of life

PHOENIX — Mayo Clinic in Arizona announced it has added lung transplantation to its nationally recognized solid organ transplant program. The program delivers world-class care to critically ill patients battling end-stage lung disease who need a lung transplant to survive and restore their quality of life. 

The new Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona offers a multidisciplinary team of medical and surgical experts in the Southwest, supported by clinical innovation from across Mayo Clinic, bringing unparalleled experience and the latest in research-driven care to every patient.

"With the launch of our new lung transplant program, we are reinforcing our commitment to providing category-of-one care to patients with serious and complex medical needs. This new program strengthens our nationally acclaimed solid organ transplant program in Arizona, giving more patients access to the transformative gift of renewed life," says Richard Gray, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic in Arizona. 

Jonathan D'Cunha, M.D., Ph.D., surgical director of the transplant program, says the team of experts will provide transplantation for the full range of patients with end-stage lung disease.

"This is the beginning of a remarkable new era for lung transplantation in Arizona," says Dr. D'Cunha. "We are excited and honored to offer patients and families renewed hope and a second chance at life through Mayo's unrivaled expertise in comprehensive adult organ transplant care."

Craig Scherer became the new program's first patient to undergo a lifesaving lung transplant on May 30. Soon after surgery, Craig was already beginning to breathe slowly on his own for the first time in years. He was discharged June 18 and is now back at home.

"It is surreal to be able to breathe again and not gasp for air. The reality has not even set in yet. I'm putting a lot of thought into finding the right words to express how deeply grateful I am for this gift," says Craig. 

Craig is one of the millions worldwide who have suffered loss of lung function due to chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. 

Over the years, the progressive disease slowly robbed the Arizona man of his ability to breathe, leaving him dependent on oxygen tanks for survival. "I couldn't go places, couldn't do things. My quality of life was zero. I was always very anxious and afraid the tanks were going to run out," says Craig. 

Chronic lower respiratory diseases (CLRDs) are the fifth-leading killer in the U.S., according to a 2024 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report cited CLRD as the cause of death for approximately 145,000 people in the U.S. in one year. 

Craig's wife, Nanci, says he also lost the ability to speak. "He didn't have the oxygen to talk. We lived in silence and isolated," says Nanci. The couple has been married for 32 years.

Eventually, Craig reached the final stage of lung failure. Oxygen tanks were no longer enough to help him breathe. "We were truly desperate. We were down to weeks," says Nanci. "I didn't think he would make it to his next birthday." 

Dr. D'Cunha led the team of surgical specialists that performed Craig's transplant. He said patients like Craig all too often reach a point where supplemental oxygen is no longer sufficient to meet their respiratory needs.

"There are no medical interventions at that point. They have run out of time," he says. "Lung transplant becomes the patient's only option. In Craig's case, without the transplant, it likely would have resulted in his death."

Three weeks after his transplant, with daily physical therapy, Craig is back to walking and talking like he did years ago. "It is not an easy journey," says Dr. D'Cunha. "But it's a journey that gives patients like Craig hope — to see his grandchildren, the next milestone, or whatever his goals may be."

Ashraf Omar, M.B., B.Ch., medical director of the lung transplant program, took note of Craig's determination from the start. "I'm proud of Craig. He has always amazed me," says Dr. Omar. "He's a special person. Motivation is the cornerstone of his success." 

Mayo Clinic's new program in Arizona will offer the latest advancements in lung transplant innovation, including ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP), which is considered one of the most transformative breakthroughs in lung transplantation in recent years. EVLP improves the success of lung transplantation by helping preserve and evaluate donor lungs prior to transplant.  

Mayo Clinic Transplant Center, with integrated programs in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, is the nation's largest provider of adult solid organ transplantation. Mayo Clinic in Arizona is on target to surpass its 2024 record number of nearly 900 transplants.

In the first week of June alone, the Arizona program successfully performed a record-breaking 36 transplants. The addition of the lung transplant program establishes Mayo Clinic in Arizona as a comprehensive transplant destination medical center.

"As the leader in organ transplantation in the country, we are committed to our vision where no patient dies while waiting for a lifesaving transplant," says Bashar Aqel, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center in Arizona. "Our new program meets an urgent need for so many patients fighting to survive end-stage lung disease."

On June 23, Craig celebrated his 67^th birthday. He joined the team of surgeons who performed his lifesaving transplant for a news conference announcing the launch of the new transplantation program.  

The highlight of the event came when Craig addressed the crowd sharing what the transplant means to him. "These lungs are my 67^th birthday gift," said Craig, his hands resting on his chest. "This is the best birthday gift I could get in the world. It gave me life." 

Craig also expressed his gratitude for the staff at Mayo, the doctors, his family, his organ donor and the donor's family. "My heart goes out to the family. One day I hope I get to communicate my gratitude to them for giving me life. Most people don't get a second chance. I do," said Craig.

Dr. D'Cunha lit candles on a birthday cake for Craig in the shape of a set of lungs. In honor of the gift of life, Craig used his new lungs to blow out the candles with one single breath. Watch the emotional moment that was met with cheers and applause in recognition of the gift of life.

Craig and Nanci returned home to spend the rest of his birthday with family. Together they share four children, 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.  

"I have a lot of life left to live in me. Everything is a motivator — my wife, my kids, my grandkids, my health," says Craig. "Before, I had no quality of life and couldn't do anything. Now there’s nothing I can't accomplish."

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About Mayo Clinic 
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Marty Velasco Hames, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu     

Additional resources:   

• Press kit including b-roll and interviews available here for download.

• For more information about lung transplantation and referrals, visit Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona or call 480-342-1010.

• Consider giving the gift of life. Learn more about how you can become an organ donor.

• Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news. 

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If you smoke and are thinking about quitting, consider that tobacco smoking is a leading cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs. And COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for more than 3 million deaths a year.

"Tobacco damages the airways. It damages the substance of the lungs as well and causes emphysema," says Dr. John Costello, a pulmonologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. "It's the major cause of COPD and should be avoided at all costs anyway."

Watch: Dr. John Costello talks about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Costello are in the downloads at the end of the post, along with b-roll of cigarette smoking. Please courtesy: "John Costello, M.D. / Pulmonology / Mayo Clinic Healthcare London."

Environmental factors also can contribute to COPD, often depending on the country. Those may include living in enclosed environments with fires and poor ventilation, as well as exposure to chemicals and pollutants.

"In developed countries, tobacco smoking is one, two and three." Dr. Costello says. "Certainly, in anybody who's developed the condition, if you want to stop the progress of the condition, you must stop smoking."

COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that refers to lung conditions, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

"Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are not the same things, but they are intimately interlinked," says Dr. Costello. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis often occur together, with smoking the leading cause.

"One of the definitions of chronic bronchitis is that you have a cough and sputum for more than three consecutive months or two consecutive years, usually the winter months," Dr. Costello says.

For people with emphysema, the air sacs, or alveoli, in the lungs are irreversibly damaged. Once this happens, it becomes difficult to breathe. While emphysema cannot be cured, it can be treated.

Along with breathing and lung issues, people living with COPD are at risk for other diseases.

"People with COPD are more at risk of cancer, heart disease and coronary artery disease," says Dr. Costello. "And, indeed, at the end stage of the condition, heart failure (is possible) because their blood oxygen is so low."

Over the past 20 years, more women than men have died of COPD in the U.S. Many factors contribute to this statistic, reports the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This includes the fact that women seem to be more vulnerable to the effects of tobacco and other harmful substances, such as indoor air pollution.

Listing all the reasons to quit smoking is easier than quitting. Dr. Costello says he acknowledges the highly addictive nature of nicotine, and he tries not to lecture patients but rather offer information.

"Every single cigarette smoked does some damage," says Dr. Costello. "The strongest possible advice here is to quit smoking, to avoid smoking, to avoid smoke in your environment if you can do it."

Read more:

• COPD treatment.
• Nicotine Dependence Center
• Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Breathing easier with COPD

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For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a nonpatient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

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The Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery provides a unique service for Mayo Clinic. Embedded in the medical practice, its objective is to transform the practice of medicine – from the inside out. Center researchers work within multidisciplinary teams to identify areas for improvement within individual practice areas. These teams investigate ways to improve health outcomes and manage the cost of care. They also work to enhance the experience of patients, caregivers and staff within health care.

Recently several studies were published in collaboration with center researchers, addressing various questions surrounding patients with respiratory diseases.

The World Health Organization reports that respiratory disease are leading causes of death and disability in the world.

"Lungs are critical organs. Without breath, we have no life," says Andrew Limper, M.D., Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Associate Dean of Practice Transformation. "Lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases – most commonly asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, disable or kill 10s of millions of people each year, including our own patients. So yes, finding ways to improve the health of people with these and other respiratory concerns is a priority."

In addition to leading the Mayo Clinic Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Dr. Limper is a pulmonology and critical care physician at Mayo Clinic as well as a biomedical researcher. He is also the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Professor of Pulmonary Medicine. Not surprisingly, he has a special interest in this vein of research.

He offers some comment on the recent studies, some of which he co-authored, and all of which address some aspect of care for patients with respiratory disease.

• The Impact of Antifungal Prophylaxis in Lung Transplant Recipients

When lungs no longer function due to disease or injury, a lung transplant can restore both quality of life and longevity. However, patients who receive a lung transplant are particularly susceptible to invasive fungal infections, which can substantially reduce the new lungs' function, and potentially lead to death.

"More than 2,500 people received a lung transplant in 2018 in the U.S. alone," says Dr. Limper. "Oftentimes treatment guidelines are developed within professional societies that proscribe best practices for a particular group of patients, type of procedure, or in consideration of other factors. However, no such guidelines exist for the proactive use of antifungals to prevent fungal infection in new lung transplant recipients."

Research that supports guideline development, implementation and dissemination of best practices is critical to improving patient outcomes, and a theme around which center researchers often work. Therefore, 2019-2020 Kern Scholar Kelly Pennington, M.D., along with her primary mentor Cassie Kennedy, M.D., designed a scholar year focused on summarizing available evidence, administering a clinical practice survey, and ultimately conducting this project. 

The investigators used the OptumLabs Data Warehouse to examine the records of 662 patients who received a transplant between 2005 and 2018. They looked for evidence of prophylactic antifungal use, and outcomes for patients who did, or did not, receive antifungal medication. They also sought to identify an average duration of treatment. This latter question is important because long-term antifungal treatment can cause or exacerbate a number of serious medical concerns, is expensive, and requires very close, regular monitoring.

They found that 387 received prophylaxis and 275 did not. Death from any cause within the first year following transplant was significantly lower (about 50%) among those who received the antifungal prophylaxis.

"Using administrative claims data to answer clinical questions is a relatively new concept," says Dr. Limper. "However, without this rich data set, our researchers could not have answered this clinically important question."

In addition to quantifying the life-extending value of antifungal prophylaxis for lung transplant recipients, the investigators were able to make some other observations. Patients receiving any prophylactic antifungal treatment were a little less likely to contract an invasive fungal infection.

The authors report Aspergillus species — these are mold, a type of fungus — infections accounted for 92% and 82% of the infections in the non-prophylaxis and prophylaxis groups, respectively. Looking only at those patients who received mold-specific antifungal treatment, the team found these patients had slightly fewer invasive fungal infections than patients without any sort of prophylaxis. However, the findings were not significant enough to indicate benefits in a particular type of antifungal medication.

• Association of outpatient ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers and outcomes of acute respiratory illness: a retrospective cohort study

In the next study, another team of researchers — also using the OptumLabs Data Warehouse — sought clarity for some urgent questions emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early in 2020, concerns surfaced among health care providers about the effects of various conditions and associated medications on the outcomes of patients contracting COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, uses the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to infect airway cells. Some anti-hypertensive medications, such as ACE inhibitors (ACEis) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), alter ACE2 expression, and there was concern that patients taking these medications for hypertension might have worse COVID-19 outcomes.

"SARS-CoV-2 is a new virus, and COVID-19 is a new type of infection," says Dr. Limper, who co-authored this study. "To understand it and treat the new illness, we start by examining similar viruses and illnesses that looked much like those caused by a COVID-19 infection."

The authors commenced a retrospective study, examining a cohort of 202,629 individuals who had contracted one or more acute viral respiratory illnesses during the 2018-2019 influenza season (Sept. 30, 2018, through March 18, 2019). These patients were already diagnosed with hypertension, and most were receiving ACEis, ARBs, or some other anti-hypertensive medication.

Of these, outpatient use of ARBs was associated with lower risk of death within the first weeks following their illness. ARBs also appeared to contribute to less risk of hospitalization, including intensive or critical care, as well as less chance of acute respiratory distress. All were better outcomes compared to ACEis or other anti-hypertensive medications.

Patients taking ACEis had a reduced risk of death in comparison to non-ARB anti-hypertensive medications. However, patients receiving ACEis did not experience any substantial effects on other complications.

"Our findings reinforce guidance for patients to remain on ACEis or ARBs as prescribed by their doctors," says Dr. Limper. "Really, this is true for all medications. We always want patients to discuss any medication concerns with their physicians, and to play an active role in deciding course of treatment."

Although their findings appear positive, the researchers cite several confounding factors which prevent them from proving causal relationships between ACEis or ARBs and better outcomes for people with an acute viral respiratory illness.

• Patient-reported quality of life in fibrotic interstitial lung disease: novel assessments of self-management ability and affect

In this article, the researchers explore the value of patient-reported quality of life outcomes for more than just a measure of individual well-being. The multidisciplinary team reported the results of a cross-sectional prospective study in which they sought to determine "the degree to which two previously unassessed patient reported quality of life outcomes in fibrotic interstitial lung disease correlate with clinical and functional parameters, and a respiratory-related quality of life instrument applied in a novel manner."

"It seems almost disingenuous to not have included patient-reported outcomes in formal prognostic observations, as we know that a person's level of physical and emotional resiliency are linked to overall health," says Dr. Limper. "We wanted to improve on existing methods and get more specific intellectual and emotional inputs from patients to help better manage their care."

Typically, an assessment of a patient with fibrotic interstitial lung disease focuses on objective improvement or stabilization of lung function decline measured by forced vital capacity — the amount of air exhaled during a breathing test.

In the trial, the investigators consented and enrolled 167 patients between January 2019 and February 2020. They were asked to complete four questionnaires, assessing, among other things, emotional affect or mood, and self-management ability.

"Our findings suggest that some more subjective, patient reported outcomes, are able to clarify the disease picture for a particular patient," says Dr. Limper. "In particular we hope to gain further validation on the utility of patient reported fatigue, self-management and mood."

In the paper, the authors encourage synergistic alignment of interventions to address both traditional measurements of diseases status and progression such as lung function and more intrinsic measurements such as patient-reported symptom burden and health care utilization.

• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and gastroesophageal reflux disease: A population-based, case-control study

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is scarring in the lungs for which doctors have not been able to identify a cause. This is a progressive condition, leading to chronic, debilitating health issues

Many factors can cause or exacerbate scarring in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe, or to obtain enough oxygen to live.

"We have seen that many people with IPF also have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD," says Dr. Limper, "enough so that we can no longer call it a coincidence, and therefore is something we need to examine to see if one causes the other."

In this study, the research team examined the question of whether GERD is a risk factor or consequence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Using the medical records linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project, they were able to compare outcomes for 113 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to those of 226 patients with an identified interstitial lung disease (i.e. not IPF), and 226 additional patients without lung disease. These patient cohorts were selected from between January 1, 1997, and June 30, 2017. The control cohorts each included two individuals matched to a patient with IPF, by sex, age (within 5 years) and diagnosis (within 5 years).

They found that the odds of having GERD were 1.78 times higher for people with IPF, than a person in the community with no known lung disease.. However, people with IPF were less likely to have GERD than patients with non-IPF fibrotic lung disease.

The authors noted that slightly different study designs may have contributed to the latter finding, as other studies have typically shown patients with IPF more likely to experience GERD than those with non-IPF lung disease.

"Our researchers also noted that patients with IPF were much more likely to be a smoker now, or at some point, than the patients without lung disease," says Dr. Limper.

"For our practice, these findings should prompt me and my fellow clinicians to determine whether there is a history of acid reflux in our patients with pulmonary fibrosis or to do definitive testing and treat for it."

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Listen: Mayo Clinic Radio: 7/13/19

When one of the heart's natural pumps isn’t working well, a ventricular assist device can be used to increase the amount of blood that flows through the body. On the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast, Dr. John Stulak, a Mayo Clinic cardiovascular surgeon, discusses ventricular assist devices and heart transplant. Also on the podcast, Dr. Sebastian Fernandez-Bussy and Dr. Eric Edell, Mayo Clinic pulmonologists, explain endoscopic lung volume reduction, which is a minimally invasive treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. And Dr. Kristina Butler, a Mayo Clinic gynecologic oncologist, discusses diagnosing and treatment options for ovarian cancer.

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When one of the heart's natural pumps isn’t working well, a ventricular assist device can be used to increase the amount of blood that flows through the body. A ventricular assist device is an implantable mechanical pump that helps pump blood from the lower chambers of your heart (the ventricles) to the rest of your body. It is used in people who have weakened hearts or heart failure.

Although a ventricular assist device can be placed in the left, right or both ventricles of your heart, it is most frequently used in the left ventricle. When placed in the left ventricle, it is called a left ventricular assist device. Having a ventricular assist device implanted can improve quality of life for people with weakened hearts, heart failure or for those who are awaiting a heart transplant. 

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. John Stulak, a Mayo Clinic cardiovascular surgeon, will cover ventricular assist devices and heart transplant. Also on the program, Dr. Sebastian Fernandez-Bussy and Dr. Eric Edell, Mayo Clinic pulmonologists, will explain endoscopic lung volume reduction, which is a minimally invasive treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. And Dr. Kristina Butler, a Mayo Clinic gynecologic oncologist, will discuss diagnosing and treatment options for ovarian cancer.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Ventricular assist devices offer hope for heart failure patients appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Although a ventricular assist device can be placed in the left, right or both ventricles of your heart, it is most frequently used in the left ventricle. When placed in the left ventricle, it is called a left ventricular assist device. Having a ventricular assist device implanted can improve quality of life for people with weakened hearts, heart failure or for those who are awaiting a heart transplant.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. John Stulak, a Mayo Clinic cardiovascular surgeon, will cover ventricular assist devices and heart transplant. Also on the program, Dr. Sebastian Fernandez-Bussy and Dr. Eric Edell, Mayo Clinic pulmonologists, will explain endoscopic lung volume reduction, which is a minimally invasive treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. And Dr. Kristina Butler, a Mayo Clinic gynecologic oncologist, will discuss diagnosing and treatment options for ovarian cancer.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show? Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Ventricular assist devices / lung volume reduction / ovarian cancer appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Wayne Peterson came to Mayo knowing it may be his last chance to find relief from COPD. What he didn't know was that he'd be the first in Minnesota to undergo a new, life changing lung procedure.

Wayne Peterson hadn't been able to breathe easily for years, and time was running out. In 2003, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), report ABC 6 News, KIMT 3 News and the Rochester Post-Bulletin. He tells the new outlets he was eventually put on oxygen and says he was given little hope by doctors in Texas, where he was living at the time, before coming to Mayo Clinic's Rochester campus. "They wanted to send me to hospice because they said they couldn't do any more," he tells ABC 6 News. "I came up here because I'm from here originally. I knew about Mayo Clinic. I thought if anyone can do anything, it's Mayo."

His instincts and his timing, ABC 6 News reports, were "perfect." The summer before his arrival, the Food and Drug Administration had given its seal of approval to the tiny valve used in a new procedure called endoscopic lung volume reduction. Mayo Clinic's Rochester campus is the first in its region to offer the treatment to patients with debilitating lung conditions tied to COPD, including emphysema. Last month Wayne — who tells KIMT he "wasn't a candidate for a lung volume reduction and I wasn't a candidate for transplant" — was the first patient to undergo the procedure in Minnesota.

Read the rest of the story. 

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This story originally appeared on the In the Loop blog.

The post In the Loop: New hope for patients with COPD appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — For many people, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a distressing and recurrent illness that affects breathing ability and quality of life. While treatable, COPD remains the third leading cause of death in the U.S. In the latest issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers take a closer look at new findings and recommendations from the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) to assess updates and address the role of treatment in the disease.

Composed of an international group of respiratory experts, the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease periodically issues review of new COPD research and updates treatment recommendations. Due to the persistent nature of symptoms and frequent complex hospital admissions, COPD remains a costly disease worldwide. Among findings from the 2018 report, are the following points:

• Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations are recommended for patients with COPD.
• Pulmonary function is essential in establishing a diagnosis, but is underutilized.
• Treatment algorithms in the new guidelines have been simplified to rely mainly on symptoms and exacerbation frequency to determine specifics of therapy.
• Other health conditions, particularly lung cancer and heart disease, play an important role in the health of those with COPD. Thus, prevention and vigilance against these conditions is important.
• The panel stresses the need for education, training and assessments at every visit, especially with the often complex medication-delivery devices that are part of treatments.

“The majority of people with COPD have mild disease that requires very little treatment other than smoking cessation and possibly a short-acting bronchodilator,” says Dr. Paul Scanlon, a Mayo Clinic pulmonologist and the article’s senior author. “For the minority of people with more advanced disease, current therapy is very effective, improves symptoms and quality of life, increases exercise tolerance, and reduces frequency of exacerbations.”

For current sufferers of COPD, there are ways to lower your risk and manage symptoms, including smoking cessation, regardless of how bad your lung function is. When you quit smoking, lung function improves slightly and declines at a slower rate thereafter.  Even smokers with lung cancer or heart disease live longer and have better quality of life if they quit. If you have frequent exacerbations (chest colds), treatment with inhaled corticosteroids, combination inhalers, or long-acting bronchodilators can reduce their frequency.

As outlined in the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease report, COPD is a common and preventable disease with a large majority of patients benefiting greatly from appropriate therapy. “In the past, health care providers were pessimistic about treating COPD,” says Dr. Scanlon. “With appropriate therapy, those attitudes are outdated.”

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, comprehensive care to everyone who needs healing. Learn more about Mayo Clinic. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network.

Media contact:

• Emily Blahnik, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu
  

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Surgery to replace a failing heart valve restored Dorothy Ganong's quality of life and gave her back the ability to engage in an active lifestyle.

Dorothy Ganong of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, struggled with labored breathing for more than two years. She would run out of breath halfway up a flight of stairs and practically have to crawl to the top. During an average day, Dorothy would often sit in her recliner to catch her breath, but she was a busy woman who wanted to get things done. She says it was frustrating to think her life was slowing down so much.

"I could tell my breathing was really bad," she says. That's when Dorothy decided it was time to make a change.

An assessment at the Cardiac Center's Valve Evaluation Clinic at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire revealed that Dorothy had severe narrowing of her heart's aortic valve — a condition known as aortic valve stenosis. This severely impeded the flow of blood out of her heart and was causing her symptoms.

After Dorothy’s diagnosis, her care team recommended heart surgery to replace the valve in hopes of allowing her to resume the active life she enjoys.

"Combining all of the skills and expertise of our multidisciplinary team, and working with the patient to align with their needs and lifestyle allows us to select the procedure and leverage the best skills of each participant, resulting in a better quality of life for our patients," says Fearghas O'Cochlain, M.D., an interventional cardiologist, who was part of the team that provided Dorothy's care.

Capitalizing on expertise

In July 2016, Dorothy was seeing an allergist. When medications and breathing treatments didn't ease her symptoms, she was referred to a pulmonologist to determine if she had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Fortunately, that physician listened to her concerns and symptoms, and felt it might actually be her heart that needed extra care and attention.

Dorothy then met with Dr. O'Cochlain, who ordered heart-related tests at the Valve Evaluation Clinic. The clinic provides complete evaluation and diagnostic testing for complex valvular heart disease. To assess her condition, Dorothy had a CT angiography. This exam combines a CT scan with an injection of a contrast media to produce pictures of blood vessels and tissues, and to evaluate blood flow through vessels going to the heart.

"Working with patients that have an identified heart valve problem, such as Dorothy, is a team effort." — Fearghas O'Cochlain, M.D.

She also had an X-ray, electrocardiogram, pulmonary function test, frailty assessment, cardiac catheterization and a carotid ultrasound to determine specific and appropriate intervention, which are integral components of the Valve Evaluation Clinic.

For most procedures, the various testing and consults are coordinated among the interventional cardiologists, radiologists, echo cardiographers and cardiovascular surgeons. "Working with patients that have an identified heart valve problem, such as Dorothy, is a team effort," says Dr. O'Cochlain. That collaboration makes the Cardiac Center team “unique in the area," says Ann Rufledt, a physician assistant and coordinator for the Valve Evaluation Clinic.

Returning to good health

After the evaluation was complete, Dorothy sat down with her son and daughter to share the test results and her care team's recommendation that she undergo heart surgery called transcatheter aortic valve replacement. She says she didn't have the surgery to live longer. Rather, she wanted to continue to live an active life without the worry of pain or inability to breathe easily.

Dorothy was especially interested in this procedure because it only requires a small incision instead of a sternotomy, which would involve cutting through the chest bone to access the heart. On the day of the procedure, an incision was made in Dorothy's groin. A catheter was inserted through the incision and guided up an artery to her heart where the new valve was inserted to replace the underperforming valve.

"I am thankful for the whole team that cared for me at Mayo Clinic Health System and for all the other patients that have had this before me and shared their success stories, which gave me the encouragement to have it done, too." — Dorothy Ganong

Dorothy spent four days in the hospital after surgery. The cardiac rehabilitation team kept her motivated through exercises and helped her gain confidence to get her back to her daily routine. She continued rehabilitation appointments after going home. A couple months later, she began to notice significant changes. She could breathe easier, go on longer outings, and sleep better at night.

"It just really changed my life," says Dorothy. "I am thankful for the whole team that cared for me at Mayo Clinic Health System and for all the other patients that have had this before me and shared their success stories, which gave me the encouragement to have it done, too."

If anyone is thinking about having this surgery, Dorothy advises, "Just go do it."

To hear more about Dorothy's story, you can view a video of Dorothy speaking at the 2017 Her Story, Her Heart event in Eau Claire.

HELPFUL LINKS

• Learn more about transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
• Read about the Valve Evaluation Clinic.
• Connect with others talking about heart health on Mayo Clinic Connect.
• Explore Mayo Clinic Health System.
• Request an appointment.

The post Breathing Easier After Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ANSWER: People who have COPD or diseases that can cause low oxygen levels may need in-flight oxygen supplementation even if they don’t use oxygen at home.

As a plane takes off and gains altitude, surrounding air pressure — the weight of the atmosphere pressing against the earth — decreases. Pressurized cabins limit the decrease considerably but not entirely. Federal regulations require cabin pressure altitude to be below 8,000 feet above sea level. This pressure level is manageable for most people, but is still about the same as being a quarter to a third of the way up Mount Everest. If you have lung disease, this could cause problems.

Low air pressure decreases the rate at which oxygen is absorbed into your bloodstream. If you already have low oxygen levels on the ground, as is often the case with COPD, even a small decrease in oxygen flow can have an effect. Any increase in your body’s demand for oxygen — for something as simple as getting up and walking to the bathroom, for example — can elevate that effect, potentially leaving you with breathing problems on the plane.

Commercial airlines have varying requirements for bringing oxygen on a plane, so check with your airline. Also, flights within other countries may have different rules. Most airlines require notification at least 48 hours before the flight and longer for international flights. You’ll likely need written documentation of your need for oxygen from your doctor.

Some airlines provide in-flight supplemental oxygen systems. You also can rent a battery-powered portable oxygen concentrator to bring with you, which means you have it during layovers and when you arrive at your destination. Portable oxygen concentrators must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for domestic flights, and the International Civil Aviation Organization for international flights.

Give yourself enough time, preferably weeks or even months ahead, to confirm you have everything you need and answer any questions you might have. If you bring a portable oxygen concentrator, be sure you bring enough batteries to comfortably last more than the length of the trip, in case there are unanticipated delays. (adapted from Mayo Clinic Health Letter) — Dr. Clayton T. Cowl, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

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