Interventional pulmonology is the main specialization of Mr Doris. There is a rise in this approach for respiratory diseases directly through the endoscopic pathway.
Interventional bronchoscopy requires special technical knowledge and experience and this should only be performed by an interventional pulmonologist.
By extending the limits of the use of the simple bronchoscopy, the focus of this procedure remains on lung cancer, its staging and the treatment of any complications caused by the disease. It is routine for cancer patients to have therapeutic trachea and main bronchi retunneling and diagnostic Endobronchial Ultrasound.
Additionally, interventional bronchoscopy provides the means to deal with a wide range of diseases like emphysema valve placement for the treatment of emphysema, removal of a foreign body, treatment of tracheoesophageal or bronchoesophageal fistula and bleeding control.
Airway re-opening from benign or malignant obstructions requires the use of advanced technology like laser beam, argon plasma, diathermy, cryotherapy and stent placement. These techniques when performed by an interventional pulmonologist gives impressive results.
The use of the rigid bronchoscope is an important part of interventional bronchoscopy. It is a rigid, straight and concave metal tube with a big lumen diameter that provides better access to affected areas, improved visual field and better ventilation.
The use of the rigid bronchoscope is the preferred method for foreign body removal (especially with large dimensions), bleeding of thracheobronchial tree, trachea narrowing, biopsy from well-vascularised tumors with a high possibility of bleeding, which demands general aneasthesia.
A major field of interventional pulmonology is Thoracoscopy through which the doctor investigates, under direct vision, the thoracic cavity. The latest generation of videothoracoscopes transmit a high-resolution image in real time and they are the best choice for exploring the undiagnosed effusions by the usual methods, but they can also contribute to their treatment. This procedure is performed without general anesthesia.
