Saint Alphonsus Adds Advanced ALS Breathing Treatment
Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center the only facility in the region to offer
new breathing treatment technology in patients suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease
Boise, ID – Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise now offers a new breakthrough technology in the treatment of ALS respiratory symptoms. The NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System, a humanitarian device used to improve the breathing of patients suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), constitutes a major step forward for treating the respiratory symptoms of ALS in the region.
ALS, commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease", is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that effects motor neurons in the brain that control muscle movement, including muscles that help to expand and contract the lungs. According to the ALS Association, the decrease in diaphragm and rib muscle control required to breathe can cause shortness of breath and chronic hypoventilation in ALS patients1. The NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System is a computer-guided device implanted in the diaphragm muscle that electrically stimulates timed contractions, substantially improving the patient's breathing capabilities.
"While there is currently no cure for ALS, we are able to manage the symptoms," said Dr. Jackie Whitesell, Neurologist at Saint Alphonsus. "Respiratory issues are a major concern of ALS patients, as constant shortness of breath can make life difficult. The NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System has a measurable impact on patient's quality of life, and I'm proud that we are now able to offer the option in Idaho."
Approximately 5,600 people nationally are diagnosed with ALS each year. The average life expectancy of ALS patients is two to five years from diagnosis – however, variants in the disease can allow for patients to live longer2.
1 www.alsa.org/als-care/resources/publications-videos/factsheets/breathing-difficulties.html, 2009
2http://www.alsa.org/about-als/facts-you-should-know.html, 2012
About Saint Alphonsus Health System
As a faith-based Catholic ministry and not-for-profit health system, Saint Alphonsus Health System reinvests in the communities we serve, through charity care and other benefits. Our goal is to improve the health and well-being of people by emphasizing care that is patient-centered, physician-led, innovative and community-based. Saint Alphonsus Health System serves the people of southwestern Idaho, eastern Oregon and northern Nevada through these facilities: Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center - Boise, ID; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa, ID; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Ontario, OR; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Baker City, OR; and, Saint Alphonsus Medical Group with primary and specialty care providers at 58 clinic locations, all of which are members of the Saint Alphonsus Health Alliance, a network of over 1400 employed and independent providers. To find out more go to: www.saintalphonsus.org
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