Olympus Celebrates Spiration Valve 500-Patient Milestone with Social Media Presence for the Patient Community

Spiration Valve System Has Been Used to Treat More Than 500 Patients with Severe Emphysema – Their Stories Are an Inspiration to Others

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., (November 16, 2020) – Olympus announced today that the Spiration® Valve System has been used in more than 500 cases and officially announced the launch of its Olympus Spiration Valve System Facebook Page, available at: https://www.facebook.com/SpirationValve. This social media presence is designed to improve patient education and community-building activities around the important valve procedure option for patients with severe emphysema, the most severe form of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Olympus is celebrating COPD awareness month in November with several awareness and educational initiatives.

Chris and his wife Jody describe the difficulties of living with COPD and the benefits Chris experienced from the Spiration® Valve System procedure. Chris says that prior to treatment he was often terrified by not being able to breathe.

We are so proud to connect with patients who are hoping for improved quality of life. Through this patient community we will be presenting informative content, a place for patients to share their experiences, and updates about new procedure availability and options for patients,” said Lynn Ray, Global General Manager and VP, Respiratory for Olympus. “It is the excitement among patients that has led to the more than 500 procedures using our valve, and more connection around the Spiration Valve System will help us build on that momentum.”

“Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction, or BLVR, which is the procedure that we perform using the Spiration Valve System, has been extremely important in helping my patients with severe emphysema to breathe easier,” said Dr. Jason Stienecker, Pulmonary Critical Care Physician at Lima Memorial Health System, Lima, Ohio. “It’s always heartwarming to see patients regain some quality of life. Many are eager to spread the word because they know how difficult it can be to live with this most severe form of COPD. These patients understand the importance of being educated about the option of BLVR and the screening process.”

Spiration Valves are placed into selected airways of the patient’s most diseased parts of the lung during a short bronchoscopic procedure. Once in place, the valves redirect air away from diseased parts of the lung, reducing the volume of the hyperinflated lung tissue, allowing healthier lung tissue to expand and function more effectively. This treatment has been shown to allow patients with severe emphysema to breathe more easily, improving their quality of life.i

During the month of November, COPD Awareness Month, Olympus will:

  • Host a live patient webinar: On November 10th, in partnership with a patient advocacy group called Right2Breathe, Olympus hosted Dr. Gerard Criner of the Temple Lung Center at Temple University Hospital in a live discussion with patients who have been treated with the Spiration Valve System. This webinar followed a previous event held with Right2Breathe on October 13th and hosted by Dr. Kyle Hogarth from University of Chicago Medicine. The recording of the October 13th event is available on our Spiration Valve System Facebook Page to access at any time. A recording of the November 10th event will be available on the Facebook Page soon.
  • Connect with more patients: Patients can connect with one another on the official patient-advocacy Spiration Valve System Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SpirationValve. With more than 1,500 followers, this Facebook page and patient community, which launched October 7, 2020, features a variety of content for patients, including: disease state information, details about the screening process, product and procedure overviews, educational resources, procedure announcements, news and events, success stories, frequently asked questions, and patient webinars. The page will also allow followers to connect and participate in online discussion about their experiences with emphysema, COPD, including the Spiration Valve System.
  • Help to improve awareness of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: Some patients who have received the Spiration Valve System, such as Lucie from Dade City, Florida, live with a genetic condition that results in abnormal alpha-1 proteins, which can lead to serious lung disease in adults.ii An interview with Lucie about her journey to treatment is available at: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=977257985956540. In addition to being Lung Awareness Month, November is also Alpha-1 Awareness Month. For more information go to: https://www.alpha1.org/how-to-help/awareness/awareness-month/.
  • Continue to educate doctors learning the BLVR procedure: Through Olympus Professional Education, the Spiration Valve System team hosts a range of educational content available at: https://www.olympusprofed.com/keyword/svs-valve/?ref-cat=13. At the 2020 CHEST National conference, Olympus hosted Dr. Jason Stienecker of Lima Memorial Hospital System to discuss how he has successfully built his Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction (BLVR) program utilizing the Spiration Valve System in a large community setting. Through this, Dr. Stienecker has been able to build and broaden his referral network, develop strategies for effective patient outreach and effective pre- and post- procedural protocol, and awareness of BLVR in the era of COVID-19. Those who missed the session at the CHEST National Conference can find it at: https://youtu.be/vROHMYagvw8.

For more information about the Spiration Valve System, visit:

Physicians interested in the Spiration Valve System should contact their Olympus sales representative, or Olympus customer service at 1-800-848-9024.

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About Olympus
Olympus’ Medical business uses innovative capabilities in medical technology, therapeutic intervention, and precision manufacturing to help healthcare professionals deliver diagnostic, therapeutic, and minimally invasive procedures to improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs, and enhance the quality of life for patients. Olympus’ Medical portfolio includes endoscopes, laparoscopes, and video imaging systems, as well as surgical energy devices, system integration solutions, medical services, and a wide range of endotherapy instruments. For more information, visit medical.olympusamerica.com

i Criner GJ, Delage A, Voelker K, et al. Improving Lung Function in Severe Heterogenous Emphysema with the Spiration® Valve System (EMPROVE): A Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled Trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2019;200(11):1354-1362. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201902-0383OC.

ii https://www.alpha1.org/Alpha1/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Questions-and-Answers-About-Alpha-1.pdf