Introduction: Chronic bronchitis (CB) is characterized by productive cough with excessive mucus production, resulting in quality-of-life impairment and increased exacerbation risk. Bronchial rheoplasty (BR) is a novel treatment for patients with CB. An endobronchial catheter is used to apply non-thermal pulsed electrical fields to the airways of patients to reduce airway goblet cell hyperplasia.

Method: We present the first twelve patients with CB treated with BR. Work up consisted of plethysmography and COPD assessment test (CAT) score. We treated one lung at a time, in two procedures, four weeks apart. Follow up was 3 months after the last procedure. 

Results: 12 patients were treated over 6 months. Six patients completed their 3 months follow up at this time. No one experienced procedure related complications. FEV₁ increased with a median of 120 ml (range 200ml to -110ml), CAT score changed a median of -7.5 (range +2 to -13) in total, and for mucus score changed a median of -2 (range 0 to -3). Cough changed a median of -1.5 (range 0 to -3). See table 1 for full data.

Conclusion: BR is a safe procedure and clinically improved both FEV₁ and symptomatology by a significant reduction of the CAT score. We await the follow up of the rest of this initial cohort. Results are promising, but further studies are highly needed.