Local doctor recognized nationally and internationally

After being recognized nationally for his first Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) procedure in Southwest Florida, Dr. Alaa El-Gendy of Florida Lung & Sleep Associates was invited to lead the first Bronchial Thermoplasty workshop in Egypt.

Dr. Alaa El-Gendy is the founder of Florida Lung & Sleep Associates in Lehigh Acres since 2002, where he maintains a busy Pulmonary and Sleep practice.

The International Congress of The Egyptian Society of Chest Diseases & Tuberculosis, organized by the International Conferences Company took place from March 25th- 28th, 2014 at the Fairmont Towers in Cairo, Egypt. The annual conference covers all important aspects of chest disease and respiratory critical care like pulmonary hypertension, bronchial thermoplasty and endoscopic LVR.

“The Egyptian Society of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis were deeply honored to invite Dr. El-Gendy as a distinguished guest to share and attend the 55th anniversary meeting”, said Prof. Dr. Ayman Abd El Hamid Farghaly, General Secretary of the Congress Professor of Chest Diseases. This anniversary was an outstanding gathering for the Middle East and the Arab world for chest diseases in Egypt. The annual meeting is the biggest event for pulmonogists in Egypt and the Arab world. The workshop aims at updating chest physicians with recent knowledge presented by highly experienced professors like Dr. El-Gendy.

Dr. El-Gendy also has his Bronchial Thermoplasty abstract accepted by the American Thoracic Society International Conference Committee which will be presented this May in San Diego, California. His abstracts have been programmed as a poster presentation.

More than 22 million Americans suffer from asthma. For some, the disease can be easily managed with an inhaler and other medications, but for many, it is a debilitating, life-altering (and sometimes life-threatening) condition that results in 1.8 million emergency room visits, 500,000 hospitalizations, and 4,000 deaths every year. A new procedure, called Bronchial Thermoplasty is offering hope for asthma sufferers.

On Wednesday, November 28th, 2012, Dr. Alaa El-Gendy of Florida Lung & Sleep Associates performed the first Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) in Southwest Florida. BT is a new treatment option to treat severe asthmatics. This treatment is an outpatient procedure that reduces excessive airway smooth muscle, decreasing the ability of the airways to constrict during an asthma attack. Dr. El Gendy is able to accomplish this by threading a small catheter through a bronchoscopy into the trachea (wind pipe). Once in place, Bronchial Thermoplasty delivers a form of thermal (heat) energy to the airway wall. The procedure is completed in three separate sessions, each targeting different areas of the lungs. The sessions are scheduled approximately 3 weeks apart to allow for adequate recovery time. The procedure is performed at Lee Memorial Hospital.

Bronchial Thermoplasty reduces the frequency of exacerbation of asthma symptoms (asthma attacks), as well as the number of emergency room visits related to respiratory events. Clinical studies, done by Boston Scientific, have shown that bronchial thermoplasty improved asthma-related quality of life out to a year. Post treatment, severe asthmatic patients experienced the benefits of an 84% reduction in emergency room visits for respiratory symptoms, a 73% reduction in hospitalizations for respiratory symptoms, a 66% reduction in days lost from work, school or other daily activities due to asthma symptoms, and a 32% reduction in asthma attacks. This procedure is also expected to complement asthma maintenance medications, providing long-lasting benefits to improve the individual’s quality of life.

“You may be a candidate for Bronchial Thermoplasty if you are 18 years of age or older and suffer from asthma that is not well controlled despite the use of inhaled corticosteroids and/or long-acting bronchodilators” Dr. El-Gendy explained.

This procedure shows great potential in helping those individuals with asthma that do not find relief in other treatment options. “With this new procedure, we are able to greatly enhance the quality of life of our patients, and even save lives” Dr. El-Gendy says.

Dr. Alaa El-Gendy, Prof. Dr. Ayman Abd El Hamid Farghaly General Secretary of the Congress Professor of Chest Diseases  Military Medical Academy, Dr. Wael

Dr. Alaa El-Gendy with Prof Dr. Maysa Sharef El-Din Vice President of the Egyptian Society of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis

Prof. Dr. Ayman Abd El Hamid Farghaly General Secretary of the Egyptian Society of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis Military Medical Academy

Honorable Professor Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, Minister of Health, and President of the Egyptian Society of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis,

Dr. Alaa El-Gendy being awarded for his presentation

Dr. Alaa El-Gendy giving his presentation about Bronchial Thermoplasty at the 55th International Congress of The Egyptian Society of Chest Diseases & Tuberculosis