<b><i>Background:</i></b> Despite an improved understanding of the pathophysiology of asthma, severe asthma sufferers continue to experience a poor quality of life (QOL). Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) utilizes thermal energy to reduce airway smooth muscle. In industry-sponsored trials, BT improves QOL and reduces severe exacerbations; however, the impact of BT on asthma-related QOL and medication use in non-industry-sponsored trials is less clear. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this study was to determine the impact of BT on asthma QOL measures (mini-AQLQ) and asthma controller medication use during the year following treatment with BT. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed a prospective study of the impact of BT in 25 patients with severe persistent asthma. Our primary outcome was change in asthma-related QOL score (mini-AQLQ) 1 year after BT treatment. Our secondary outcome was change in asthma medication use 1 year after BT. <b><i>Results:</i></b> BT led to an improvement in mini-AQLQ score from a baseline of 3.6 ± 0.3 before therapy to 5.6 ± 0.3 1 year after the final BT procedure. Overall, 88% percent of patients showed a clinically significant improvement in mini-AQLQ at 1 year. Patients treated with BT showed a reduction in the use of montelukast and omalizumab 1 year after BT. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> In patients with severe persistent asthma and low asthma-related QOL scores, BT leads to an improvement in asthma-related QOL and a decrease in asthma medication use when measured 1 year after the final BT treatment.

Large airway tumors are uncommon, accounting for about 0.6% of all pulmonary tumors [ [1] , [2] , [3] ]. The majority of these tumors (80–90%) are malignant, represented primarily by squamous cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma [ 2 , 4 ]. Benign central airway tumors are less common and are generally comprised of hamartomas and papillomas. Tracheobronchial leiomyomas are exceedingly rare, representing only about 0.6% of all benign lung neoplasms [ 3 ]. We report here on a case of primary endobronchial leiomyoma without uterine involvement treated successfully with cryoresection with excellent outcome.

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