Expert: Bailey - 11/30/2006

Question
I am taking a nursing class and my teacher said something about a new surgery for ppl with asthma, what can you tell me about it.  

Answer
Brooke,
I am not sure about any new surgeries for asthma. I'm not sure about any surgeries that are done specifically for asthma either. Studies have suggested that asthmatic children who have their tonsils and adenoids removed may suffer fewer asthma attacks and need less medication. This is recommended as treatment for tonsil inflammation though and not asthma. The only other thing that comes to mind is for adults with sinus problems that make their asthma worse. There is a surgery for the sinuses which has also shown to reduce asthma symptoms in some people. Given the nature of asthma, it would be hard to have a surgery that worked for asthma in general. I would have to believe that any new surgery that is out there would be for a specific cause for asthma (like the sinus surgery for those with sinus-related asthma).
-Bailey