Temple University Hospital has announced that it has treated the first patient in the United States as part of the BREATHE-3 clinical trial. The trial is designed to evaluate a new bronchoscopic device aimed at opening airways and releasing trapped air in patients who have severe emphysema and hyperinflation.
Gerard J. Criner, MD, FACP, FACCP, Chair and Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and Director of the Temple Lung Center, is serving as a principal investigator for this study. Dr. Criner and his team performed the procedure on August 13.
Several media outlets, such as The Punxsutawney Spirit, The Buffalo News, and the Starkville Daily News, have reported on this development.
The hospital also noted that beginning at 8:00 AM on September 3, Labor and Delivery services will no longer be available at its Main Campus (Broad and Ontario Streets). All childbirth services are being relocated to a new hospital location. Additionally, there are major cuts to bus, subway, and rail services that may affect travel to and from Temple’s campuses.

