Pulmonary care

Bronchoscopy is an endoscopic procedure allowing doctors to see the airways and lungs. Your doctor inserts a thin, lighted tube (bronchoscope) into the airways through the nose or mouth during the procedure. Bronchoscopy is often used to diagnose and treat many lung conditions such as tumors, cancers and airway blockages.

EBUS is a minimally invasive procedure used to examine the bronchi, the airway passage leading to the lungs. Much like a bronchoscopy, this procedure involves inserting a bronchoscope. However, this procedure also includes ultrasound imaging technology. With EBUS, doctors may locate tiny tumors and small cell lung cancer that would not be seen using bronchoscopy alone.

Fiducial marker placement is an image-guided procedure in which a surgeon places small metal objects in or near a tumor to help guide radiation therapy. Our surgeons implant fiducial markers to define and target lesions located within the soft tissues of the lung and chest wall.

Mediastinoscopy is a surgical procedure used to examine the mediastinum, the space behind the breastbone between the two lungs containing the lymph nodes. During this procedure, your surgeon makes a small incision in the chest, inserts a tiny device called a mediastinoscope and collects tissue samples of the lymph nodes. This procedure is most often performed to check for cancer or to stage lung cancer.

The respiratory system depends on other body systems to function correctly. To provide more comprehensive services, many of our doctors are board-certified in critical care and sleep medicine, in addition to pulmonary disease.

Sleep studies monitor movements, breathing, brain activity, oxygen levels and other behaviors during sleep. In a sleep study, your sleep activity is examined to determine if you have a sleep disorder.

A sleep study may help a pulmonologist determine if you have sleep apnea, wherein muscles in the back of the throat relax and cause the airways to narrow or close. This condition interrupts breathing during sleep. We offer a range of services to manage and treat this condition.

Cardiothoracic surgery is the surgical treatment of organs in the chest, such as the heart and lungs. Many lung respiratory conditions can be managed with medication and lifestyle changes. However, surgical intervention is often the most effective treatment for severe diseases, such as lung cancer.

Our experienced pulmonologists perform a wide range of traditional and minimally invasive surgeries on the lung and respiratory system, including:

Thoracoscopy

Thoracoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to view the lungs and space around the lungs. During a thoracoscopy, a long, thin tube called a thoracoscope is used to view the lungs, pleural cavity (the area around the lungs) and thoracic cavity (chest).

Along with internal examination, this procedure is also used in biopsies and to treat lung conditions such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. Our cardiothoracic surgeons may use a robotic surgical system to assist with this procedure, which typically allows for faster recovery.

Thoracotomy

A thoracotomy is a surgical procedure in which a surgeon gains access to and operates on the heart, lungs, esophagus, thoracic aorta or anterior spine. During this procedure, a cardiothoracic surgeon makes an incision in the chest wall. This procedure is most commonly used to remove part or all of a lung to treat cancer.

Any time your child is sick can be concerning, especially if it's a breathing issue. Our pediatric pulmonologists can treat various conditions in infants, children and adolescents affecting the lungs and chest, including asthma, chronic lung disease and vocal cord dysfunction.