Pulmonology
- Pulmonology is the medical specialty focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting the lungs and the entire respiratory system.
- Pulmonologists manage conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, sleep apnea, respiratory failure, and lung cancer.
- Advanced diagnostics in pulmonology include pulmonary function testing (PFT), bronchoscopy, thoracoscopy, chest X-ray, CT scan, sleep studies (polysomnography), arterial blood gas analysis, and allergy testing.
- Pulmonary rehabilitation combines exercise training, breathing exercises, nutritional counseling, and education to improve quality of life for patients with chronic respiratory illnesses.
- Interventional pulmonology provides advanced procedures such as therapeutic bronchoscopy, stent placement, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), pleural effusion drainage, and minimally invasive lung biopsies.
- Critical care pulmonology specializes in ventilator management, oxygen therapy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and intensive care for patients with life-threatening respiratory conditions.
- Sleep medicine within pulmonology focuses on disorders like obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, insomnia, hypersomnia, and restless legs syndrome, with therapies such as CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure).
- Pediatric pulmonology manages respiratory conditions in children including asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, congenital lung disorders, recurrent infections, cystic fibrosis, and allergies.
- Preventive pulmonology emphasizes smoking cessation, vaccination (influenza, pneumococcal), pollution control, early screening in high-risk individuals, and occupational lung disease prevention.
- Emergency pulmonology deals with acute asthma attacks, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), severe pneumonia, pleural effusion, pneumothorax (collapsed lung), and pulmonary embolism.
- Modern pulmonology integrates minimally invasive diagnostics, robotic-assisted thoracic interventions, advanced imaging, molecular testing, and personalized treatment strategies.
- Together, pulmonology services provide comprehensive lung and respiratory care, ensuring improved breathing, enhanced lung function, and better quality of life for patients of all ages.