Second Emphysema symposium to be held this March

Healthcare professionals from primary and secondary care are invited to an emphysema symposium taking place on 26 March.

Emphysema is a chronic lung disease that damages the air sacs and other lung tissue, making it difficult to breathe. It’s a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and mainly affects middle-aged or older adults who smoke. There’s no cure for emphysema, but treatments can help manage symptoms, improve quality of life and slow the progression of the disease.

After the success of last year’s first event, this year’s aim is to bring together colleagues from across primary and secondary care to enhance knowledge of emphysema, referrals, specialist treatments and screening programmes. The audience will also hear from patients about their experience of the emphysema pathway.

The morning sessions will cover emphysema diagnosis and making referrals. There will also be talks on lung volume reduction surgery and interventional treatment using endobronchial valve insertion. These sessions aim to increase basic knowledge of emphysema and provide more understanding of the disease so that colleagues feel confident to make referrals.

Further presentations will be given on the role of a multi-disciplinary approach to lung volume reduction interventions, immunologic treatments, using AI and technology to help diagnose emphysema and the experience of interventions for patients with heart conditions.

A series of talks on the role of screening programmes will be held. Lung health checks are currently being offered in the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston areas. These areas have been selected as they have higher incidences and later diagnoses of lung cancer, making them a priority area for early testing. The programme is gradually being expanded to the rest of Norfolk and Waveney.

Vasileios Kouritas, Consultant Thoracic Surgeon, said: “Since the lung checks have been launched in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston we’ve had an influx of referrals of patients with moderate and severe emphysema. As the screening is opening up across Norfolk, we’re expecting to see more patients come through our service. Working together as a hospital Group we have a great advantage to learn from the James Paget about how the screening service has impacted them.

“It’ll also be interesting to share how parallel screening for cardiology patients can also help diagnose emphysema and highlight how coronary heart disease, lung cancer and emphysema are interconnected.

“Last year’s event was a great success with around 50-60 people attending and we hope to make this an annual event, with even more people attending.

“The event is open to healthcare professionals including surgeons, respiratory physicians, trainees, nurses, physiotherapists and GPs as well as patients. It is taking place in the Bob Champion Research and Education Building from 9am until 4pm. You are all welcome to participate.”