Arturo Meade, M.D., is an interventional pulmonologist at Baptist Health Lung Center-Fort Smith. He specializes in pulmonology, critical care, and sleep medicine. He is a board-certified provider whose goal is to help patients sleep and breathe better.

Dr. Meade is trained to perform a non-surgical procedure to treat severe emphysema with the Spiration Valve System. The procedure offers hope for many residents in the River Valley who suffer from life-threatening lung diseases like emphysema and other forms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

The valve is a small, umbrella-shaped one-way device that is placed inside of airway of the lung. It is used to redirect air from the less healthy to the healthier parts of the lung, which improves overall lung function.

“Roughly 80 percent of the patients we see in the clinic suffer from COPD,” Dr. Meade said. “This procedure could greatly improve the quality of life for patients who qualify for the procedure.”

Tobacco use is the primary cause of COPD in the United States, but air pollutants at home and work can also cause the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Statistics from the CDC show Arkansas and Oklahoma were among the states with the highest death rates related to COPD in the agency’s most recent survey.

In his free time, Dr. Meade enjoys spending time with his family, running, and traveling.