Pneumology

Our highly trained staff uses a flexible video-endoscopic probe to perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for conditions affecting the bronchial tree and lungs. These techniques help investigate nodules, masses, lymph nodes, and inflammatory changes in the lungs and surrounding tissue. Others can help to treat difficult cases to better manage such symptoms as shortness of breath and expectoration. Some of the procedures we offer include:

• Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
• Transbronchial biopsy
• Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)
• Cryobiopsy
• Autofluorescence
• Airway stenting and dilatation.
• Endoscopic Lung Volume reduction techniques for Emphysema.
• Bronchial Reoplasty: a cutting-edge therapeutic technique for COPD patients with difficult-to-treat chronic sputum production.

Our specialized exercise testing evaluates your exercise capacity through standardized tests. This helps us understand and diagnose possible causes of symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest discomfort, and determine the severity of conditions affecting the airways, lungs, and pulmonary circulation.

We offer two types of exercise testing: the 6-Minute Walk Test and Ergoespirometry. These tests are also used to monitor your progress and response to treatments. Our experienced staff will guide you through the testing process and provide personalized care to help you achieve your best results.

We work hand in hand with an outstanding group of scientists who are experts in the latest immunological and cytological processing techniques to extract the most useful information from samples taken during bronchoscopic procedures such as bronchoalveolar lavage and biopsies. Our Pulmonary Clinic is a referral centre for the study of beriliosis, an occupational lung disease in which the lung tissue becomes sensitised to metallic beryllium particles and could develop extensive damage. The beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test is a blood test that measures this response and can help to approach this difficult-to-diagnose condition with a higher degree of certainty.

Pulmonary Function Tests are non-invasive techniques that can be performed in an outpatient setting, making them an accessible option for many patients. Additionally, these tests are important for the early detection and monitoring of lung diseases, allowing for earlier intervention and management.

• Spirometry measures the amount of air that a person can inhale and exhale forcefully and quickly, providing information about lung function and detecting obstruction in the airways.
• Pletismography measures lung volumes by having the patient breathe in and out of a special chamber. This test can help diagnose conditions such as emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis.
• Carbon Monoxide Diffusion Capacity (DLCO) measures the ability of the lungs to transfer gases from the air into the bloodstream, providing information about the efficiency of the lungs.
• MIP-MEP measures respiratory muscle strength, which can be useful in diagnosing and monitoring neuromuscular disorders.
• Bronchial Provocation Tests involve exposing the airways to a substance that can trigger bronchoconstriction, allowing for the diagnosis of asthma and other airway hyperactivity disorders.
• Impulse Oscillometry (IOS) measures the resistance and reactance of the airways, providing information about the presence and severity of airway obstruction.
• Exhaled Fraction of Nitric Oxide (FeNO) measures the amount of nitric oxide in the breath, which can be elevated in conditions such as asthma and allergic rhinitis.

In our respiratory therapy program, we provide personalized treatment plans for patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases and symptoms. Our expert physiotherapy team specializes in bronchial hygiene techniques, respiratory muscle rehabilitation, and the titration of supports such as long-term oxygen therapy (LOT) and non-invasive ventilation (NIV).

We also prioritize patient and family education, self-management, and exercise prescription as an integral part of our respiratory therapy program. By providing these services, we aim to improve patient outcomes and help patients manage their conditions more effectively.

This procedure involves inserting an ultrasound-guided measuring catheter into a large neck vein under local anaesthesia. By doing so, the pulmonary medicine specialist can diagnose and determine the severity and causes of pulmonary hypertension. Armed with this information, the doctor can establish an accurate diagnosis and develop an appropriate therapeutic plan tailored to each patient unique needs.

At our pulmonary medicine department, we understand that poor sleep quality can have serious consequences for your overall health and quality of life. In fact, it has been identified as a leading cause of chronic diseases such as heart arrhythmias, dementia, cancer, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. With the rise of obesity and poor sleep hygiene, the prevalence of respiratory-related sleep disorders has increased dramatically. That is why we offer a range of inpatient and outpatient diagnostic procedures to help identify these disorders and provide access to the best pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments

• Polisomnography
• Night oximetry
• Home-based sleep tests (poligraphy and arterial tonometry)
• Multiple latency Sleep Test
• CPAP titration

Guided by real-time lung ultrasound, we are able to safely diagnose the presence of pleural effusion (fluid around the lung) and investigate its causes by performing a small puncture (thoracentesis). When indicated, our highly skilled team can perform minimally invasive therapeutic procedures such as pleurodesis (a procedure to seal this cavity to prevent fluid accumulation) and pleural catheterisation (a procedure to insert a thin tube into the pleural cavity to facilitate intermittent drainage of pleural fluid) with excellent results.

Please check Department of Thoracic Surgery.