Deborah Heart and Lung Center offers comprehensive interventional pulmonology services for both diagnostic and therapeutic indications. Our physicians possess the specialized knowledge and skill to diagnose and treat a wide variety of pulmonary disorders and diseases.

Advances in the area of flexible fiberoptic technology are enabling highly developed diagnostic services and complex airway management to be performed without surgical intervention. Interventional pulmonary procedures offer a wide variety of non-surgical options for many individuals with lung disease. Pulmonary interventional procedures currently performed at Deborah’s Center for Interventional Pulmonology include flexible fiberoptic pleuroscopy, rigid and flexible bronchoscopy, fluorescent bronchoscopy, transbronchial needle biopsy, electrocautery, airway stent insertion, transtracheal catheter placement, closed pleural biopsy, and percutaneous needle aspiration and biopsy.

For more information on Deborah Heart and Lung Center’s Center for Interventional Pulmonology, or any aspect of Deborah’s Department of Pulmonary Medicine, contact Deborah’s General Information Hotline at
1-800-555-1990.

Physician referrals:
1-800-214-3452

Diagnostic Procedures
Bronchoscopic Imaging for Early Lung Cancer: Many conditions affecting the lung require direct examination. Deborah offers visualization of the airways via flexible, rigid and autofluorescent bronchoscopy. One approach to the early diagnosis and treatment of lung malignancies arising in the lining of the airways is the highly sensitive technique called Bronchoscopic Imaging. Through fluorescent bronchoscopy, pulmonologists can examine changes in the fluorescent signals from the lining of the airways, and detect the earliest malignant changes. These changes can then be followed with biopsy to determine a precise diagnosis. Deborah is one of a limited number of centers in the United States to offer this procedure which aids in the early diagnosis of lung cancer. Patients suspected of having lung cancer as a result of certain clinical symptoms or patients with history of lung cancer are candidates for Bronchoscopic Imaging bronchoscopy.   

A flexible, fiberoptic pleuroscopy is performed on patients with pleural disease including pleural effusion, pleural abnormalities and pneumothorax. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and permits visual inspection of the pleural space, drainage of pleural effusion, performance of pleural biopsies and chemical pleurodesis. The procedure requires a 2-3 day hospital stay; however, it eliminates the need for general anesthesia and the multiple surgical incisions. It avoids many of the complications of open chest surgery, and reduces pain, hospital stay and recovery time.

Tube thoracoscopy is performed when either fluid (pleural effusion) or air (pneumothorax) has accumulated in the pleural cavity. A water seal system or percutaneous catheter is attached to allow drainage on a continuous or intermittent basis.

Transbronchial needle biopsy is an interventional diagnostic option for patients with centrally located lesions; a pulmonologist passes a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope to the site of the suspected tumor or enlarged lymph gland, and a needle is passed to aspirate cells for diagnosis.

Transthoracic needle biopsy is a nonsurgical diagnostic approach performed for more peripheral lesions. Fluoroscopy is used for visual localization during the procedure. After local anesthesia is administered, a needle is passed to aspirate cells for diagnosis.

Endobronchial ablation: Electrocautery or cryotherapy is used for the destruction of endobronchial growths and abnormal tissue. Obstructive and non-obstructive lesions can be ablated using electrosurgical current. Endobronchial ablation therapy is used in conjunction with flexible or rigid bronchoscopy.

Endotracheal and endobronchial stent placement is performed in patients with stricture or intraluminal growth or compression. Stents can be temporarily inserted for benign conditions which are readily treated such as inflammation or systemic disease or can be permanently inserted to preserve an airway or prevent death from suffocation. These stents can significantly improve quality of life for patients requiring radiation therapy for lung cancer that is occluding the trachea or major airways.

Percutaneous tracheostomy uses multiple-dilator technique for placement of tracheostomy tubes at the bedside under bronchoscopic guidance eliminating the need for surgery.

Transtracheal oxygen delivery is provided for hypoxemic patients and provides an alternative to the nasal cannula with lower flow rates. Flow rates can typically be reduced by 50 percent with significant improvement in overall compliance with oxygen therapy.