Department of Pulmonary Medicine | Bombay Hospital

Pulmonary medicine is a subspeciality of internal medicine that deals with diagnosing, treating, and managing respiratory system disorders. It includes diseases of the lungs, thoracic cavity, chest wall, and upper airways. Detecting and preventing occupational and environmental causes of lung disease, as well as structural, inflammatory, infectious, and neoplastic problems of the lung parenchyma, pleura, and airways, are all areas of specialization for pulmonologists.

Asthma, COPD, emphysema, lung cancer, interstitial and occupational lung diseases, and complex lung and pleural infections, including tuberculosis, pulmonary hypertension, and cystic fibrosis, are among the conditions that pulmonologists frequently assess and treat. Some pulmonologists may offer diagnostic and therapy services for sleep-disordered breathing conditions (such as sleep apnoea) in sleep laboratories.

Some of the standard procedures in pulmonary medicine are :

Bronchoscopy : Bronchoscopy is a technique that enables medical professionals to view your lungs and airways. It is often carried out by a physician with expertise in lung problems (a pulmonologist). A very tiny tube (called a bronchoscope) is inserted into your lungs during a bronchoscopy through your mouth or nose.

A flexible bronchoscope is most frequently used when doing bronchoscopy. A rigid bronchoscope, however, might be required in some circumstances, such as when there is significant lung bleeding or when a large object is lodged in the airway.

Thoracentesis :Thoracentesis is a technique used to drain air or fluid from the area around the lungs. The pleural space is reached by inserting a needle through the chest wall. The pleural space is the little opening between the inner chest wall and the pleura of the lung. A double layer of membranes called the pleura encircles the lungs. There is a tiny amount of fluid inside the area. When you breathe, the fluid keeps the pleura from grinding against one anothe

Pleural effusion is the medical term for extra fluid in the pleural space. As a result of pleural effusion, breathing becomes more difficult since the lungs cannot expand. Pain and difficulty breathing may result from this.

Bombay Hospital has a well-established pulmonary function lab. It has facilities for :

Spirometry.
Lung volumes.
DLCO studies.
6 min walk test.
Bronchoprovocation test with histamine challenge.

We are renowned for our advanced bronchoscopy suite. It has a dedicated nurse and ward boy. It has facilities for diagnosing conditions like suspected tumors, pneumonia, hemoptysis, etc. This laboratory has created a long list of happy patients. Their main therapeutical services include foreign body removal, tracheobronchial stenosis, balloon Brachioplasty, and electrocautery for benign granulomas.

Our lab is also equipped to perform sleep studies. It houses 2 State of art 36 Channel Polysomnography Machines. CPAP titration and Multiple Sleep Latency Tests can also be performed at our pulmonary function lab.

Sleep disorders like central sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome, etc., can be diagnosed and treated at our lab.

The pulmonary function lab of our hospital also provides diagnostic and therapeutic services for pediatrics. Laryngoscopy and thoracocentesis services are also available at our hospital.

We have a well-active respiratory critical care unit. The unit has fully functional and equipped ICU beds with invasive and non-invasive ventilators. Our unit helps patients with the following :

ARDS.
Acute exacerbations of COPD and Asthma.
Severe community-acquired pneumonia.
Interstitial lung diseases.

Treatment and diagnostic tests for pleural disorders are also provided at our pulmonary function laboratory. Services like intercostal tube insertions, pigtail catheter drainage, and thoracoscopy are the main attractions of the lab.