Pulmonology (Chest Diseases)
Chest Diseases (Pulmonology) is a branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to the lungs and the respiratory tract.
Which Diseases Does the Chest Diseases Department Treat?
The diseases addressed within the scope of the Chest Diseases Department include:
- Asthma and allergic diseases
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
- Acute infections (influenza, common cold, bronchitis, etc.)
- Chronic infections
- Pneumonia
- Tuberculosis
- Pleural diseases (accumulation of fluid or air in the pleural membrane)
- Bronchiectasis
- Lung cancers
- Pulmonary embolism
- Interstitial lung diseases
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Respiratory failure
- Chronic coughs
- Rare lung diseases (sarcoidosis, vasculitis, rheumatologic diseases, etc.)
- Smoking addiction and smoking-related diseases
- Sleep-related breathing disorders
Which Diagnostic and Treatment Methods Are Used in the Chest Diseases Department?
There are many diagnostic and therapeutic methods used in the Chest Diseases (Pulmonology) Department. Some of the major diagnostic and treatment methods include:
- Laboratory tests
- Chest radiology
- Pulmonary function tests
- Allergy tests (skin prick test, serum-specific IgE)
- Diagnostic and therapeutic fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB)
Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is an important method used both for diagnosis and, in suitable patients, for treatment. It can be performed on patients with rare lung diseases, prolonged cough, unexplained hoarseness, airway-related bleeding, benign or malignant lung tumors, infection, tuberculosis, or suspected foreign body. The procedure also allows for biopsy during the application.
With fiberoptic bronchoscopy, an image of the airways is obtained via a flexible device with a camera at the tip, and this image is viewed on a monitor through a special system. The obtained image is used for both diagnosis and treatment.
Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS)
Endobronchial ultrasound is a diagnostic method that allows access to areas that cannot be reached or visualized by conventional bronchoscopy. EBUS is a special form of bronchoscope with an ultrasound probe attached to its tip, providing clearer imaging and enabling sample collection.
With the approval of an anesthesiologist, it can even be applied to patients with heart or lung failure. EBUS, performed in an operating room environment, is most commonly used to collect samples from lymph nodes. These lymph nodes can be benign or malignant. Malignant ones may indicate lung cancer, and thus, EBUS provides a significant advantage for staging purposes.
- Oxygen, CPAP, BIPAP therapy
- Smoking cessation therapy
Treatments may vary depending on the type and severity of the disease and the characteristics of the patient. In complex cases, a multidisciplinary approach may be necessary, and a combination of multiple treatment methods may be used.
