Surgery isn't always the best option when you’re facing a complex lung condition. To make an accurate diagnosis or treat a difficult illness, we offer advanced procedures which are less invasive than other surgical options. These include:
- Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and navigational bronchoscopy utilize state-of the-art equipment to find small pulmonary nodules, masses, or lymph nodes for biopsy. Our latest navigation equipment can access small nodules with or without an approaching airway. With these minimally invasive biopsies, we can make an accurate diagnosis and develop a personalized treatment plan. In many instances, you can avoid a more invasive surgical biopsy.
- Laser bronchoscopy, cryotherapy, electrocautery, microdebridement and argon plasma coagulation are procedures used to clear malignant and benign airway obstructions. Each of these techniques can be used to relieve airway obstruction under the guidance of a bronchoscope. The Interventional Pulmonology Team performs over 200 ablative bronchoscopic procedures each year.
- Airway stenting is a technique in which a stent is inserted in your central airway to keep it open and allow you to breathe easier. These stents may be placed for benign or malignant airway obstructions. We are one of the highest volume centers in the country performing endobronchial stenting.
- Tunneled pleural catheter insertion is a component of our comprehensive management for malignant pleural disease. We also perform diagnostic and therapeutic thoracentesis on an urgent basis for treatment of dyspnea related to pleural fluid. In certain patients pleurodesis may be offered to prevent reaccumulation of pleural fluid.
- Bronchial thermoplasty is a treatment for severe asthma despite maximal medical therapy. During this procedure a bronchoscope is used to guide a radiofrequency ablation catheter into the small airways. This energy is used to reduce smooth muscle surrounding the airway to prevent bronchospasm.
- Transbronchial cryobiopsy is a unique form of bronchoscopic lung biopsy that enables a larger piece of tissue to be obtained. This procedure can be useful when evaluating certain lung diseases such as interstitial lung disease.
- Endobronchial valve placement for severe emphysema. Our team has extensive experience in clinical trials testing valves in emphysema and to manage certain types of pneumothorax. This procedure consists of implantable one-way bronchial valves for the bronchoscopic treatment of adult patients with hyperinflation associated with severe emphysema in regions of the lung. In addition, these valves can be used to treat persistent air leaks in specific patients.