Small procedure, bigger breaths: UK HealthCare doctors improve breathing in COPD patients

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) is providing breathing improvements for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Kentucky, where the diagnosis rate reached 11.7% of the state’s population in 2025. UK HealthCare, which has performed nearly 100 of these procedures, offers the treatment for patients who meet specific medical criteria, though the hospital reports that only about three out of 10 individuals with the disease qualify for the intervention.

Procedure mechanics for lung capacity

The BLVR procedure involves placing tiny, one-way valves into the airways of the lung. Ashish Maskey, M.D., an interventional pulmonologist at UK HealthCare, explains that the treatment addresses the lung hyperinflation characteristic of COPD. By deflating the lung, the valves allow the remaining healthy tissue to function more effectively. For a patient breathing at 25% capacity, reaching 40% represents a significant improvement in daily function, according to Maskey.

Patient experiences with valve placement

For Kasey Lominac, a 64-year-old patient diagnosed with COPD in 2021, the procedure enabled a return to routine activities like grocery shopping and walking to her mailbox. Lominac initially faced an unsuccessful attempt at another facility before undergoing a successful procedure at UK HealthCare in September 2025. Another patient, 78-year-old Everett Landrum, experienced immediate breathing changes after receiving four valves in the most diseased portion of his lung, allowing him to return to tasks like tending to his livestock.

My daily life is so much better. Going from ‘no chance’ to ‘something,’ that’s huge. I was fully prepared that I was coming to the end of it.

Robert Bailey

Robert Bailey, 52, sought care at UK HealthCare after a 2023 lung collapse and years of living with emphysema. After Brianna Fischer, an APRN, identified that he was undermedicated, he was referred to Maskey for the procedure. While Bailey anticipates he may eventually require a lung transplant, he notes that the valve placement has the potential to delay that necessity by up to a decade.

Eligibility and evaluation criteria

Not all patients with COPD are candidates for valve placement. The evaluation team at UK HealthCare assesses overall health, including the presence of serious heart disease or specific issues regarding lung structure. Smoking status is a primary barrier to eligibility. Current protocols require that patients be nonsmokers or remain smoke-free for at least six months prior to the procedure. These requirements stem from clinical studies that did not include smokers, leading to safety and efficacy data that currently limits the procedure to nonsmokers.

Process improvements for patient access

The clinical team has worked to reduce the time between initial evaluation and valve placement. Dedicated nurse navigator Jasmine Meads and procedural scheduler Cheryl Willow Lewis have helped streamline the process, reducing the wait from approximately 80 days in 2025 to 50 days. The team aims to further refine these processes to reach a timeline of three weeks. Patients undergoing the procedure are monitored for a three-day window following the surgery to manage potential complications, such as a collapsed lung.

Maskey suggests that further research could eventually expand the eligibility pool. He is currently interested in exploring whether the procedure could be safe and effective for light smokers, potentially through an internal review board trial. As of October 2026, the program continues to serve as a high-volume center for interventional pulmonology, as healthcare providers seek to increase awareness of the procedure among those with advanced lung disease.