<unk>  is a treatment for severe asthma approved by the FDA in 2010 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.<unk>  is normally used in severe persistent asthmatics who do not respond well to typical pharmacotherapy regimens. Through a standard bronchoscopy procedure, a small flexible tube is advanced into the airway, via mouth or nose, to mildly heat the airway halls. This treatment has been shown to result in acute epithelial destruction with regeneration observed in the epithelium, blood vessels, mucosa and nerves. However, airway smooth muscle has demonstrated almost no capacity for regeneration, instead being replaced by connective tissue. The treatment has been shown to be safe and effective in prospective studies with duration up to five years.<unk>  is indicated for the treatment of severe persistent asthma in patients 18 years and older whose asthma is not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids and long acting beta agonists as per GINA guidelines.
Bronchial thermoplasty
Hyperinflation therapy
Aspiration therapy
Bronchial artery embolization
Tracheobronchoplasty
Railway surgery
Airway clearance therapy
Phalloplasty